More than half of organizations have at least one device running on an out-of-date operating system, according to mobile device management firm Jamf.

For its latest Security 360 Report, Jamf anonymously examined a sample group consisting of over 150,000 Mac devices, discovering a concerning trend of poor security hygiene.

Over the last year, researchers found 53% of organizations discovered they had devices with critically out-of-date operating systems.

Meanwhile, 95% of applications that the team assessed contained at least one medium-severity vulnerability, with 62% requesting dangerous permissions and 21% containing privacy-impacting behaviours.

A quarter of organizations said they'd had a user fall victim to a phishing link, while 18% reported that users had connected to risky unsecured public networks.

Jamf warned that advanced threat groups are stacking vulnerabilities to create sophisticated exploits and targeting at-risk users.

Through zero-click and browser attacks, Apple and Android devices remain an active threat vector. An attack on WhatsApp users through an image-parsing vulnerability (CVE-2025-43300) and the weaponization of vulnerabilities through JavaScript have allowed spyware groups to proliferate through one-click attacks.

“Our goal with this research is to spread awareness among security leaders regarding the risks impacting their organizations so that they can ensure threat detection, compliance enforcement and response capabilities are aligned with their Mac and mobile devices,” said Michael Covington, vice president of portfolio strategy at Jamf.

“Avoidance of a holistic, proactive approach to Mac and mobile security places any organization at unnecessary risk."

macOS threats are diversifying

In terms of macOS environments, the threat landscape is more diverse than ever before.

Despite Apple's use of security measures such as Gatekeeper, System Integrity Protection (SIP), and Transparency, Consent, and Control (TCC), 44% of devices experienced malicious network traffic and 26% of organizations were hit by cryptojacking attacks.

Last year, trojans were the top adversarial attack strategy, representing about half of all attacks – a big change from 2024 when infostealers and adware topped the list.

All told, Jamf said trojans, infostealers, adware, and potentially unwanted applications accounted for 90% of all attacks on Mac devices. PuAgent was the most common family of malware, at 16.41%.

More than half (58%) of organizations are running Macs with a critically out-of-date OS, while 73% of evaluated Mac devices contained at least one vulnerable application.

"Organizations across all sorts of industries choose Mac to keep their employees productive, secure and happy," said Jamf technical writer Hannah Bien.

"The popularity of Mac hasn’t gone unnoticed; attackers are creating targeted attacks specifically for Mac. These attacks change constantly. Infostealers are evolving, establishing persistence and taking more data than ever before. Advanced threat groups remain a significant danger."

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OpenAI wants more people to code with Codex, so it’s rolling out an app for macOS and making the AI coding tool available to free users for a limited time.

The Codex app for macOS lets coders run multiple AI agents at once and work with agents over long-running tasks, the company explained in a blog post.

OpenAI first unveiled Codex in April 2025, updating it with new features in September and unveiling a fresh model just weeks ago.

The release comes amid competition from rival AI developers, in particular GitHub Copilot, Anthropic Claude Code, and Google's recently released free coding agent Jules.

"The Codex app changes how software gets built and who can build it — from pairing with a single coding agent on targeted edits to supervising coordinated teams of agents across the full lifecycle of designing, building, shipping, and maintaining software," the company noted.

OpenAI said its models were now able to manage complex, long-running tasks, meaning developers are now searching for ways to organise those AI efforts.

"The core challenge has shifted from what agents can do to how people can direct, supervise, and collaborate with them at scale — existing IDEs and terminal-based tools are not built to support this way of working," OpenAI added.

What users can expect with Codex

Codex is designed to act as a “command center for agents”, according to OpenAI, helping streamline multi-tasking across different projects and allowing users to review agents’ work.

"It also includes built-in support for worktrees, so multiple agents can work on the same repo without conflicts," OpenAI explained.

"Each agent works on an isolated copy of your code, allowing you to explore different paths without needing to track how they impact your codebase. As an agent works, you can check out changes locally or let it continue making progress without touching your local git state."

The company stressed that the system was built with security in mind, with agents only allowed to edit files in the designated folder or branch, and asking for permission to run commands that require elevated permissions.

OpenAI said Codex will generally be available via higher-end, paid-for subscriptions, including ChatGPT Plus, Pro, Business, Enterprise and Edu.

However, for a limited time it will also offer Codex via ChatGPT Free and Go in order to "show more people what's now possible".

OpenAI added that it would double rate limits on paid-for plans for a limited time too.

Beyond coding

The Codex app can do more than manage code generation, according to OpenAI. Using its previously announced "skills" the tool can gather information, solve problems, write and more, all controlled via the new app.

OpenAI said it had developed hundreds of skills to help development teams, ranging from triaging bugs to deploying to the cloud and creating documents.

"You can explicitly ask Codex to use specific skills, or let it automatically use them based on the task at hand," OpenAI noted.

For example, OpenAI said it used Codex to develop a racing game. Beyond code development and testing – which it did by playing the game – they also used an image generation skill and a web game development skill.

The game was created using one single – but complex and detailed – prompt, with a selection of follow-up prompts to finish the work.

These skills can be automated and scheduled, in particular to run repetitive tasks such as triaging daily issues, checking for bugs and more.

Pick a personality

After the release of GPT-5, OpenAI had to walk back changes to the "personality" of its chatbot – and it clearly heard that feedback.

For Codex, developers will be able to choose a "personality" they prefer to work with on a daily basis.

However, there's only two to start: a blunt, terse and pragmatic style, or a "more conversational, empathetic one".

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Mini PCs are all the rage right now and have been for at least two years. The Apple Mac Mini M4 has taken the 'mini' part and truly run with it, for it is a tiny cube of a computer. Don't let that fool you, though, for it's a powerful little box with an M4 chip.

Such is the appeal of the mini PC, Apple has not only popped an M4 chip in (M4 Pro in higher spec models), it has also redesigned the mini, making it smaller and changing up the port array.

Before we get carried away, there is no bundle discount with Apple; it's best to look to channel partners and resellers for discounts. The company is looking at small businesses here, which are more likely to have all the peripherals already.

Apple Mac Mini M4: Design

There is very little to say about the design of the M4 Mac Mini that doesn't leave you feeling like you're describing a kitten or a novelty baby outfit, because it is the cutest little computer we've ever seen. A truly mini machine that fits so snugly in your hands that you endup cradling it. And with that minimalist design that runs through the whole Apple hardware range, it is just a lovely addition to your workspace.

Neatness is its biggest appeal; it's small and takes up next to no desk space, but also doesn't really leave anything out (aside from perhaps a USB-A port). You have five USB-C slots (two front, three rear), an HDMI port, a headphone jack, an ethernet slot, and the power socket. What's more, everything is set in a way to keep things neat – all the ports are lined up so that everything fits in, nothing has reason to be tangled. From the power socket to the USB-C slots, there is ample room, with no overlap. There's only really a strange placement of the power button to complain about, but that isn't strange to people who use Mini PCs for 1U racks.

Apple Mac Mini M4: Specs and performance

Our Mac Mini review unit houses an Apple M4 chip with a 10-core CPU, a 10-core GPU, and a 16-core neural engine. We also have 16GB of unified memory and 256GB of SSD – this is the base model of Mac Mini (£599-$499), and you can go up to 64GB RAM, 8TB SSD, and the M4 Pro chip but you'll be paying out well over a grand (£1,399-$1,299).

In Geekbench 6, the M4 chip shows consistent scoring across the board, with the Mac Mini in the same range as the MacBook Pro and the MacBook Air – it's also similar to the M4 Pro chip in the more expensive Mac Mini, though the multi-core score is noticeably higher. For the base M4 model, we noted a single-core score of 3,496 and a multi-core score of 14,505.

The latest version of macOS (Sequoia) is as smooth as ever, even with intensive photo editing or some light gaming – the mini is also quiet, with virtually no sounds of strain, no matter the task.

Perhaps the best part of the M4 chip, however, is the power efficiency. We've already seen this in the MacBook Pro, where there is a clearer benefit with its optimized battery performance. For the Mini, it is less obvious, but it does run cooler (part of the reason it's so small).

Apple Mac Mini M4: Features and peripherals

Apple Intelligence is also present on the Mac Mini. As with the MacBook Pro and Air, it is good, though still in its infancy. It's a similar experience to Microsoft's Copilot, with text generation, image editing, and search optimization. Having Siri answer your questions is helpful, as is the email summarizations.

The new mini only comes with the device itself and the power cord. If you want a keyboard or mouse, or trackpad, you need to purchase those separately. The thinking here is that consumers will likely already have them with older models of Mac Mini, and businesses usually have monitors and so on that are already set up on desks. ITPro, for example, still has the Apple Studio Display, the Magic Mouse, and the keyboard from a previous Mac Mini review.

If, however, you do need to purchase peripherals, a new Magic Keyboard will set you back $99(£99), a Magic Trackpad $129 (£129), and the Magic Mouse is $79 (£79). All of which have slight design changes with universal USB-C slots and cables, rather than the old Lightning cable – which is great. Although the charging port on the mouse is still on the underside of it, which is somewhat odd, it's problematic as you can't use it while it's charging.

Apple Mac Mini M4: Is it worth it?

One other area that Apple has made changes in is its pricing. While on a small drop compared to previous models, the $599 (£599) starting price is extremely competitive – noticeably cheaper than our last reviews from Geekom and Beelink.

The lack of peripherals in the box may be off-putting to some, but from a business standpoint, it isn't much more expensive to add the keyboard and mouse; most other vendors do the same, and office desks are generally already kitted out with monitors.

The M4 chip is super powerful, the user experience is great, and it fits on your desk so well you forget it's there. That's how all technology should be, useful and unobtrusive. We love the Mac Mini; it's tiny, tidy, and terrific.

Apple Mac Mini M4 specifications

The Apple MacBook Pro 14in M4 has a lot more riding on it this year. With the looming end to Windows 10 support fast approaching, a mass hardware refresh is expected. The system requirements for Windows 11 call for more powerful laptops. Here, Apple senses an opportunity; a chance to capture more users, particularly those at smaller and newer businesses.

You can get the latest MacBook for $1,599 (£1,599) with the basic configuration (16GB RAM and 512GB storage). Or you can pay $133.25 per month for 12 months – business customers will likely enjoy a discount for bulk purchases.

Apple MacBook Pro 14in M4: Design

There is a level of tidiness to Apple's hardware that few vendors can match. It's what makes its iMac screens popular for front-of-house use, or its Mac Mini machines adorable and minimalist. And its MacBook designs have influenced other vendors for almost two decades.

As such, nothing much has changed on the design compared to the M3 MacBook, though everything is neat and elegant with a smooth satin finish. The latest MacBook Pro is made from 100% recycled aluminum, with 90% recycled steel in the keyboard feature plate and 35% (or more) recycled plastic in 15 components, according to Apple. It comes in the traditional silver or (like our review unit) the more understated 'Space Black'. It looks and feels like a serious business machine, while still holding great appeal for consumers.

At 1.6kg the Pro is fairly heavy; it's a sizable hunk of laptop, and robust enough to give to employees without concern. There's a sturdy feel to the chassis and next to no flex in the lid. All in all, a solid machine that can handle the rough and tumble of remote working.

Apple MacBook Pro 14in M4: Display

As ever, Apple's Liquid Retina XDR display is on the MacBook Pro, and it's superb. Our review unit is the 14.2in model, with a 3024 x 1964 resolution and a 'ProMotion' 120Hz refresh rate that's buttery smooth. You can get a 16in model for $1,000 more, but the 14in is a good size for most office workers.

We measured the Pro's ability to reproduce colors in the sRGB color space, using the laptop's default color mode, and were left largely impressed. It hit 96% for color coverage and 98.9% for volume, with 70.1% for DCI P3. All very good scores (anything over 94% is excellent), matching the M3 MacBook Pro.

The panel can get extremely bright, too. Apple suggests it can sustain a brightness level of 1,000 cd.m2 with regular SDR content, though we only measured its peak brightness as 636.83 cd/m2 in the default setting.

Apple MacBook Pro 14in M4: Keyboard and trackpad

Typing on the MacBook Pro M4 is a dream with an excellent keyboard. Travel is a little on the shallow side, but the individual key action is great with nice positive click feedback and very little bounce or flex in the base. Once you get up to a decent typing speed, you'll notice a lovely sound – almost comforting – that the keys emit. Like a muffled drum. Pure bliss.

Its trackpad, too, is rather pleasurable. It's big, which is always useful, and highly responsive, also useful. We particularly like the single finger taps and the multi-touch gestures. However, the most lovely thing about it is the refined force feedback engine, which works so effortlessly, letting you click or double click with an easy prod in the tip left corner.

Apple MacBook Pro 14in M4: Specs and performance

When you look at what changes year on year with the MacBook Pro (and Air, or iPhone, or iPad, and so on), the Apple chip often shows the biggest improvement. And the M4 processor is another industry-leading laptop chip; it comes with a 10-core CPU, 10-core GPU, and a 16-core neural engine. There is also the normal 16GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD (other configurations are available).

It feels powerful; there is no amount of tabs or applications we could run that would truly test its limits. However, in Geekbench 6, the M4 Pro scored 3,899 for single-core workloads and 15,234 for multi-core. Strangely, that is a significant increase for single cores and a minor drop for multi-threaded versus the M3 MacBook Pro (3,184 and 15,704, respectively). But, still, vastly more than anything else on the market.

For our looped video test, we set the display brightness to 170 cd/m2, turn the machine on airplane mode, and run a 20hr looped video until the battery runs out. Astonishingly, the MacBook Pro M4 outlasted the 20-hour video with 4% left on its battery – there is no other laptop, tested by ITPro this year, last year, or seemingly ever, that has that level of staying power.

And, as with all PCs now, we must talk about AI for productivity. On the Pro, we have Apple Intelligence, which can do most of the stuff your Copilot+ PCs can, but with a few Apple additions and tweaks. You can use it to customize your desktop, add apps you the top right of the screen. Summarize and transcribe emails. And also, if you have an iPhone to match, you can scan documents onto the MacBook Pro, which can then be automatically read and edited with the text translator. Nothing groundbreaking, but we did find it very useful.

Apple MacBook Pro 14in M4: Is it worth it?

Whatever configuration you get, no matter the price, the MacBook Pro 14in M4 is worth it. As a consumer device, it is amazing. As a work laptop, it is phenomenal – a surefire way to please your employees. If you have a BYOD strategy and those devices are iPhones, then it is even more appealing. Those with M3 models might have reason to stay put, but anyone with an M1 (or older) will be getting a vastly more powerful machine and a battery life you'll scarcely believe.

Apple MacBook Pro 14in M4 specifications

Apple has unveiled the new Mac Mini sporting an overhauled and even smaller chassis with souped-up internals, promising the latest version of its compact desktop is “small but fierce”.

The new model features Apple’s much-lauded M4 and M4 Pro chips, which is significant considering the Mac Mini did not get an M3 version, so the performance boost should be dramatic.

Apple said users can expect the new Mac Mini to deliver 1.8x faster CPU performance and 2.2x faster GPU performance over the M1 model.

All versions of the new Mac Mini will now ship with 16GB of RAM, with 8GB now deemed insufficient for modern workloads.

Apple also noted the M4 and M4 Pro chips will support hardware-accelerated ray tracing for the first time, which will be a boon for creatives.

Apart from the silicon, the biggest change is the size of the new Mac Mini, coming in at just five-by-five inches - a footprint that is less than half the size of Apple’s previous design.

Apple said it has implemented a new air flow system and “innovative thermal architecture” in the design to accommodate thermal throttling concerns with the limited space.

Apple’s new Mac Mini goes carbon neutral

The new Mac Mini marks an important milestone for Apple, being the first carbon neutral Mac with an over 80% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions associated with materials, manufacturing, transportation, and customer use.

The latest Mac Minis will offer a slightly altered port lineup too. The front has a 3.5mm headphone jack and two USB-C inputs, with a gigabit ethernet, HDMI, and three Thunderbolt 4 ports round the back.

Users that spring for the more expensive M4 Pro model, will enjoy higher data transfer speeds with the Thunderbolt ports on the rear upgraded to Thunderbolt 5.

The M4 Mac Mini will start at £599 for 16GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD and £799 to double the storage capacity to 512GB.

The M4 Pro version, with a 12-core CPU and 16-core GPU, will start at £1,399 and will come with 24GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD.

Apple is capitalizing on the burgeoning mini PC market

It’s been well over a decade since Apple last gave the Mac Mini a design overhaul, and it appears to be doubling down on the ‘mini’ part of its name. The timing of the announcement and the size of the machine could be seen as strategically shrewd by Apple.

The refresh also includes an M4 chip, bringing the Mini in line with both Apple’s MacBooks and iPad ranges. And, also positioning its product near the top of the mini PC market, which is seeing significant growth through gaming, small business adoption, digital signage, and remote work.

The market for mini PCs was valued at $21.1 billion in 2022 and market reports suggest its continued growth could reach $33 billion by 2032.

In 2020 Apple began transitioning its Mac range from using Intel processors to its own custom Arm chips, otherwise known as the Apple M1 platform. This architecture has breathed new life into the Mac series, offering much faster performance while reducing power consumption, heat and fan noise.

The 2021 iMac is the first Mac with Apple silicon to come with an entirely new look and appearance; one that takes advantage of the additional thermal headroom and internal space afforded by moving more internal components into Apple’s custom SoC.

Apple 24in iMac (Apple M1, 2021) review: Design

In a nod to the unique multi-coloured appearance of Apple’s original iMac G3, the 2021 model reintroduces a wider choice of colours to the line, replacing the brushed aluminium that has been associated with iMacs for well over a decade.

It’s now available in a choice of six two-tone colours or plain silver, with the rear of the chassis using a brighter, more saturated shade while the front “chin” below the display uses a lighter pastel variant. The display itself is surrounded by thinner bezels than its predecessor, now in white rather than the black of the previous design.

The retention of the large chin beneath the screen is likely to disappoint those who were hoping to see a bezel-free iMac, but it does serve a purpose: it houses the computing guts of the machine. The rest is screen, and with a depth of just 11.5mm and weight of 4.5kg, the new 24in iMac is no heavier or thicker than a standard PC display. It’s astonishingly light and can be moved around a tabletop quite easily.

The new design retains the solid quality and well-built feel of its predecessor in every way. It’s a radical change from the aluminium and black look, which was becoming stale after remaining unchanged for so many years. One slight design disappointment is that - as with the previous iMac - the stand tilts forward and backwards but cannot be raised and lowered. For that, you need a VESA mount, but this has to be chosen when ordering the iMac and can’t be installed after purchase.

Apple 24in iMac (Apple M1, 2021) review: Display

The Apple 2021 24in iMac gets an increase in pixel count and screen size over the 21.5in Intel iMac, to a new 4.5K Retina (4480 x 2520) screen, with a PPI of 218. Similar to recent redesigns of the iPhone, iPad and other Macs, through shrinking the bezels, Apple has increased the screen area without making the iMac any physically larger than its 21.5in predecessor.

The display quality is excellent. With the True Tone setting turned off, we measured a maximum brightness of 496 cd/m2, 100% coverage of the sRGB colour gamut, 98% DCI-P3 coverage and a DeltaE of 0.88, making it effectively perfect as far as accuracy goes. The image quality looks great, and will make an excellent choice for general photo editing, as well as colour grading in video and animation work.

Apple 24in iMac (Apple M1, 2021) review: Specs and Performance

Apple is selling its 24in iMac in three tiers, ranging from £1,249 to £1,649 inc VAT. All three use the same M1 chip found in the 2020 MacBook Air, MacBook Pro and Mac mini, and now the iPad Pro. The lowest tier limits your colour choice to red, green, blue and silver, but it also has two fewer ports at the back, lacks Touch ID and the ethernet port.

Teardown videos have also revealed a few undocumented differences between the lowest tier 2021 iMac and the upper-end models. For example, the base £1,249 model has just a single fan, while the higher tiers have two - which may impact its ability to cope with strenuous workloads.

As standard you get 8GB of memory, which can only be configured up to a maximum of 16GB. Storage options, meanwhile, start at 256GB and go up to 2TB. The base model M1 has 7 GPU cores compared with 8 cores on the higher tiers, but the extra GPU core in the higher tiers only makes a marginal difference in graphics performance. The wider choice of colours opens up some new options (such as purple) that may be more appealing to some people. The ethernet port, Touch ID, additional fan and extra USB-C ports are similarly likely to appeal to more performance-hungry users, but in general the base model iMac offers a reasonable level of capability.

So is it worth opting for the higher memory allocation? The M1 chip is more accurately described as an SoC, with the GPU and LPDDR4 memory integrated into the same package as the CPU. Unlike in x86 desktop PCs, M1 uses a pool of unified memory, shared and accessible by all other components in the SoC, not copied to different locations across various buses.

Because of this, memory in M1 is more efficient than in x86 architectures, and Apple says it “dramatically improves performance and power efficiency”. It’s tricky to know for sure by directly comparing Intel and M1 Mac memory performance, but even just 8GB seems remarkably efficient in M1 Macs, handling tasks such as 4K video playback in multiple browser tabs without breaking a sweat. A limit of 8GB of RAM certainly won't ever get in the way for everyday tasks, or even for many design tasks.

But as is traditional with Apple devices, no components can be upgraded after purchase, including the system memory. Extra storage can always be added via external drives, but if you plan on holding on to your iMac for a few years, to ensure better performance with demanding software of the future, we’d recommend choosing a £200 upgrade from 8GB to 16GB over anything else, even though you won't see much difference right now in daily use.

Our test 2021 iMac was a top-end model upgraded with 16GB RAM and a 1TB SSD, which we were able to compare with the most powerful Intel iMac currently available: a 2020 27in model with a 10-core 10th-generation Intel processor, 64GB of RAM and an AMD Radeon 5700XT.

This 2020 Intel-powered iMac cost around twice as much as our 24in test machine, and over three times as much as the base model. Nevertheless, in the single-core Geekbench 5 test, which is optimised for M1, the 2021 iMac trounced the Intel, delivering a very impressive score of 1,748 - roughly 40% higher. As expected though, the Intel’s dedicated graphics hardware resulted in 53,933 points in the OpenCL test, compared with 19,325 for the 2021 iMac. And with more physical CPU cores, the Intel scored 9,267 in the multi-core test, beating the 2021 iMac’s score of 7,681.

Where M1 truly shines though is in power and thermal efficiency, and significantly less fan noise. The 2021 iMac idles at 26 degrees, compared with a very warm 62 degrees for the Intel, which shoots up rapidly when under load, causing the fans to spin loudly. Even while stressed, the fans remained absolutely silent on the 2021 iMac in all but one of our tests, which was the first time we had ever heard fan noise on an M1 Mac.

Additionally, while our usual Intel-based benchmarks show highly respectable scores that can match dedicated x86 hardware, the true performance of Apple silicon is only unlocked when using applications that have been recompiled to support the new architecture, rather than emulating x86 software through Rosetta 2.

Unsurprisingly, all Apple’s own applications run directly on M1, including heavy-duty media tools such as Logic and Final Cut Pro. Popular third party software such as Microsoft Office, the Adobe suite, Da Vinci Resolve, Ableton, and browsers like Chrome and Firefox are gradually adding support through updates, and in all cases it makes a dramatic improvement to performance.

While most of our tests completed without a problem, we ran into an issue with the Heaven benchmark, which refused to run at high detail settings. The same problem arose on another M1 Mac we tested, but the same test completed without any issues on the Intel iMac.

Apple 24in iMac (Apple M1, 2021) review: Ports and Features

One further change with the new iMac design is the switch to USB-C for all its ports, mirroring the switch Apple made a few years ago with its laptops. Gone, too, is the SD card slot, so unless you already have a USB-C docking solution, you’ll likely need to invest in some dongles.

The power supply has also moved outside the iMac, supplied as an external power brick, connecting to the back of the iMac via a proprietary magnetic connector. This also houses the iMac’s Gigabit ethernet port - unless you opt for the entry-level configuration, on which it is omitted.

Two of the iMac’s USB-C ports support 40GB/sec Thunderbolt. These are all you get on the base model, with two additional USB-C ports that support USB 3.1 Gen 2 10GB/sec on the higher tiers. You may still need a dock, dongle or hub if you rely on older USB-A peripherals. Wi-Fi 6 comes as standard, and with a decent router and good wireless coverage, most people won't miss the ethernet port on the base tier 24in iMac.

The bundled Magic Mouse (or Magic Trackpad) is coloured to match the design of the iMac. Apple’s Magic Keyboard, meanwhile, has had a small upgrade with the addition of a Touch ID fingerprint sensor, that can be used for authentication in MacOS. It’s a nice, but not essential, part of the iMac package, coming as standard in the higher tiers.

Otherwise the included peripherals are unchanged from previous generations. Irritatingly, this means the mouse’s internal battery must still be recharged via a Lightning port on the underside, which makes it impossible to use while charging.

As with all M1 Macs, the 2021 iMac has a further limitation of only a single external display, connected via Thunderbolt. That means at most you can only ever have two screens. It’s unlikely to be a problem for the majority of people, but for power users who prefer triple-screen setups, this limitation may be one reason to wait for a larger iMac with an M1 Pro or M1 Max SoC.

The front-facing webcam finally offers 1080p resolution, but lacks iOS 15’s superb Center Stage feature that follows the user around a room.

The speakers are excellent quality for an all-in-one of this size, and are light years ahead of the sound quality of most standalone displays. Audiophiles may still opt for an external audio setup, but for average users this will be an auditory treat.

Apple 24in iMac (Apple M1, 2021) review: Verdict

Don’t be put off by the mid-range pricing and colourful, accessible appearance of the 2021 iMac. In all situations, it delivers serious performance that makes it suitable for serious work, including video, audio and image editing.

iMacs have traditionally been appealing as general home desktops, but also in art and design, certain education environments and some offices too. The 2021 iMac is likely to continue to remain popular in these settings. It’s everything most people will need from a Mac desktop, and a fantastic success for Apple’s new architecture.

For power users it has a few limitations - most notably a maximum 16GB of RAM and a single external display. On M1 Macs, most applications designed for Intel processors work flawlessly through Rosetta 2, and the majority of popular applications have already been updated to run natively on the M1 architecture. But as we found, there are a few exceptions where the experience may not be so smooth. Some older software and more obscure applications may cause problems.

There’s a larger iMac coming in 2022 that will probably be powered by the M1 Pro and M1 Max processors first seen in last year’s MacBook Pro models, which will raise the maximum memory capacity and support more displays. Some people are no doubt waiting for this more powerful version, but with a solid, svelte new design, excellent screen quality, all-round fantastic performance and palatable entry-level price, the latest 24in iMac is still a fantastic computer in its own right.

Apple 24in iMac (Apple M1, 2021) specifications

Apple has unveiled a number of new products at its April 2021 'Spring Loaded' event, including a new purple iPhone 12 and an upgraded Apple TV. However, the biggest announcements of the event came in the form of an all-new M1-powered iPad Pro and iMac, as Apple shifts more of its products to its custom Arm-based silicon.

M1-powered iMac with 4.5K Retina display

Apple's all-new iMac is the first to pack an M1 chip, which not only makes it faster but also allows the consolidation of the logic board and thermals, reducing it to just 11.5mm (0.45in) thick. With its smaller footprint, the new iMac takes up 50% less volume than the last generation.

The all-new iMac also gains a 24in 4.5K Retina display that boasts 11.3 million pixels, a stated 500cd/m2 of brightness, over a billion colors, and an anti-reflective coating. The screen also automatically changes the color temperature with the environment to ensure viewer comfort.

Apple has also equipped the 2021 iMac with a 1080p webcam and an upgraded audio system. The input now comes from studio quality mics - the “best ever in a Mac,” according to Apple - and it also includes a six-speaker sound system that helps bring videos and music to life.

The iMac will be available in a range of colors: green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and silver. It includes a two-meter magnetic cable in the same color as the machine.

In addition to its M1 chip, the new iMac will feature an 8-core GPU (a 7-core GPU comes as standard), which Apple claims is the fastest integrated graphics on a PC with up to 200% faster graphics performance. Under the hood you'll also find 8GB of unified memory architecture and a 16-core Apple Neural Engine that promises 300% faster machine learning performance.

The new iMac also gets Touch ID for the first time. Integrated on its wireless keyboard, Touch ID communicates directly with the Secure Enclave in M1 to create an encrypted channel to send the fingerprint through. With Touch ID, users can log in and even pay using just their fingers.

As for connectivity, the new iMac features two Thunderbolt 4 ports that support up to 6K displays and a pair of USB-C ports. On the power adaptor, you’ll find an optional 1Gb/sec Ethernet port to allow a hardwired internet connection without running a cable up to your desk.

The all-new iMac lineup will be available from April 30 via Apple's online store, and it’ll ship to customers and Apple Stores in the second half of May.

The 7-core iMac will start from $1,299/£1,249 for consumers and $1,249/£1,124 for education customers. It’ll come with an 8-core CPU, 8GB of unified memory, 256GB SSD, two Thunderbolt ports, Magic Keyboard, and Magic Mouse. Available colors will include green, pink, blue, and silver.

The 8-core GPU iMac will start from $1,499/£1,499 for consumers and $1,399/£1,304 for education. It’ll feature an 8-core CPU, 8GB of unified memory, 256GB SSD, two Thunderbolt ports, two extra USB 3 ports, Magic Keyboard with Touch ID, Magic Mouse, and Ethernet. This model will be available in green, yellow, orange, pink, purple, blue, and silver.

iPad Pro with M1 and Liquid Retina XDR display

Apple also revealed the “most powerful and advanced iPad Pro ever", which is again thanks to the M1 chip inside.

This custom 8-core processor delivers enhanced performance and helps the iPad Pro deliver a promised all-day battery life while keeping it thin and lightweight. Apple claims the CPU boasts the “world’s fastest” cores in low-power silicon, which deliver 50% faster CPU performance than the A12Z Bionic. Handling graphics is an 8-core GPU that’s supposedly 40% faster than its predecessor.

Rounding out the internals is a 16-core Apple Neural Engine, up to 16GB of memory, and up to 2TB of storage.

The new iPad Pro comes in 11in and 12.9in sizes. The larger size features a Liquid Retina XDR panel that uses a mini-LED design with 10,000 LEDs across the back of the display. The screen has a claimed 1,000cd/m2 of full-screen brightness, 1,600cd/m2 of peak brightness, and 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. This screen will also share other technology with the smaller 11in iPad Pro, including ProMotion, True Tone, and DCI-P3 wide color support.

The new 12.9in iPad Pro will also be the first iPad to gain 5G support, that promises speeds of up to 4Gb/sec. Another first is the arrival of Thunderbolt and USB 4 ports for up to 40Gb/sec of wired bandwidth. Thanks to the Thunderbolt connection’s 10Gb/sec Ethernet, it can connect to a wide range of peripherals, including Apple's Pro Display XDR and 6K external displays.

The new iPad Pro will be available from Apple.com on April 30, and shipments will start in the second half of May. The 11in will start from $799/£749 for the Wi-Fi model and $999/£899 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model, and the 12.9in iPad Pro starts at $1,099/£999 for the Wi-Fi model and $1,299/£1,149 for the Wi-Fi + Cellular model. Educational pricing in the US starts from $749 for the 11in model and $999 for the 12.9in model. UK education pricing has yet to be announced.

New purple iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini

Apple also unveiled the latest color option in the iPhone 12 lineup: purple. This new hue will be available on the iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 mini starting April 23, 2021. Other than the new color, the purple iPhone 12 is the same as the current model.

New chip and remote for Apple TV 4K

Apple 's 4K TV also received an upgrade at the April 2021 Event. It gains a new A12 Bionic chip that delivers improved graphics, including high-frame-rate HDR and Dolby Vision video, enabling smooth playback of 60fps video.

Rounding out the Apple TV 4K changes is a new remote that adds a clickpad with five-way navigation for improved accuracy. It’s also touch-enabled for fast directional swipes and a circular touch-enabled ring that controls a slick jog feature.

Apple Air Tag

Apple also launched the long-rumored Air Tag, which you can attach to your keys, purse, backpack, and other items. If you lose the item it’s attached to, you can use your iPhone to find it via the Find My Network. If the Air Tag is out of the Bluetooth range, you can still use it thanks to Apple’s network of nearly a billion devices that can detect your Air Tag and anonymously send you its location.

Apple is saying goodbye to its flagship iMac Pro all-in-one desktop PC.

The manufacturer added a “while supplies last” label to its online listing for the iMac Pro late last week and stopped offering options to customize and upgrade it. Apple-focused news outlet MacRumors confirmed Apple was cutting the machine from its iMac lineup.

Apple introduced the iMac Pro in December 2017, shipping it in a characteristic “space gray” color. Targeting power users, including video editors and designers, the iMac Pro included a 27in, 5K-resolution display and came with options for higher-end Xeon processors with up to 18 cores. It shipped with at least 32GB of RAM and was only available with SSD storage.

The iMac Pro also featured higher-end Pro Vega graphics cards and Apple's T2 processor, which added more device security. It also had an additional Thunderbolt 3 port compared to the regular iMac.

Apple added more top-end options to the iMac in a March 2019 upgrade, offering newer Intel processors and updating the graphics card support. Buyers could still get lower-powered models with smaller displays, but it also brought the base iMac’s top-end specs closer to the iMac Pro.

Apple tried to maintain a gap between the iMac and iMac Pro by adding more maximum RAM and higher-end graphics options to the latter.

Last August, Apple upgraded the 27in iMac with support for 10th-generation Intel processors, double the top-end RAM option to 128GB, and quadruple its maximum SSD storage to 8TB. Apple also boosted the iMac camera from 720p to 1080p and added the T2 chip. At the same time, Apple announced the bare-minimum upgrade to the iMac Pro, giving it a 10th-gen Intel CPU.

The shakeup comes as the company gradually transitions to its in-house Apple Silicon designs. In November, the company launched the M1, an ARM-based processor design using a 5-nanometer process technology. The company released its eight-core chip into the Macbook Air, 13in MacBook Pro, and Mac Mini products.

Customers thinking of buying an iMac might want to wait. Talking to Apple insiders in December, Bloomberg predicted that Apple's recently introduced custom ARM-based processors would make it into desktop products, including the iMac, later this year.

Users of Apple’s new Mac mini featuring the Apple-built M1 chip have taken to forums to complain of Bluetooth connectivity issues that left devices virtually unusable.

Users have taken to Reddit to talk about their issues connecting their Mac minis and MacBook Pros to Apple’s wireless keyboard and mouse via Bluetooth. Users have also reported problems connecting Apple AirPods and other third-party Bluetooth hardware.

One user said: “Returned my first M1 Mac mini due to Bluetooth connectivity issues. A replacement unit has the very same issue – across multiple Bluetooth devices and vendors. This is clearly an M1 Mac issue. Let’s hope Apple fixes it asap.”

Users have aired similar grievances on Apple’s forums, saying there “seems to be some Bluetooth wake issue where keyboard presses or mouse clicks do not wake [the] machine”.

“If I press the button once on back, the monitor will wake but the keyboard and trackpad are not recognized unless I do a hard power reset holding back button in until it powers off. When it powers back on, everything works fine,” said user Daving313.

Twitter user Patrick Tomasso posted a YouTube video showing a range of Bluetooth devices struggling to connect to the new Mac mini. Tomasso had already tried using his new Apple computer with a Logitech MX Master 3 and a Magic Mouse 2, and “all of them cut out intermittently” when in use.

In a tweet, he described the issues he had.

"I'm going crazy trying to figure out the Bluetooth issues with this machine. I thought maybe a few of us had an isolated issue but forums/Reddit are popping up now all over," he said.

It’s unknown if the issue is with the new M1 chip or Apple’s latest operating system, macOS Big Sur. It’s also unclear how many units are affected by the issue. Apple hasn’t responded to complaints at the time of writing.

Mac mini connection problems are nothing new, as Intel-based devices from 2018 exhibited similar problems.

The only one workaround to this issue appears to be using a third-party Bluetooth receiver instead of Apple's integrated receiver.

Apple launched a notarization process for all apps and software created for macOS in February to weed out malware. Recently, a college student discovered adware with a full macOS notarization, according to WIRED.

Mac computers were once impenetrable vaults, which led to few hackers attempting to infiltrate them. Those who tried would generally hit roadblocks. Today, Macs are hacked nearly as often as PCs, which lead to the February launch of Apple’s notarization process.

This notarization is required for all apps and software designed for macOS. And if the notarization doesn’t exist, a user can’t run the software without a workaround. However, college student Peter Dantini purposefully downloaded malware, fully expecting his Mac to reject the installation. To his surprise, the well-traveled Shlayer adware installed on his machine without issue.

Dantini alerted Apple of the notarized malware on Aug. 28, and Apple immediately revoked the notarization certificates. Unfortunately, two days later, the malware reappeared with a notarization from a different Apple Developer ID. Dantini again alerted Apple of the issue.

Apple addressed the issue, saying, "Malicious software constantly changes, and Apple’s notarization system helps us keep malware off the Mac and allow us to respond quickly when it’s discovered.” The company continued, "Upon learning of this adware, we revoked the identified variant, disabled the developer account, and revoked the associated certificates. We thank the researchers for their assistance in keeping our users safe."

The fact that Apple quickly addressed the situation is reassuring, but this is proof that relying on Apple’s notarization system alone isn’t enough. While it can help prevent most malware, having a strong antivirus and a critical eye for iffy apps is key.

Got an old Mac you’d like to trade in? Until now, you could only do that online. You’d have to ship your machine to the manufacturer and wait two or three weeks to hear back. Now, you can bring your used Mac straight to the nearest Apple Store and trade it in right there.

The tech giant just made this big change, but it’s complicated by the fact that a lot of Apple’s retail locations remain closed. Apple closed all its retail outlets a few months ago due to the coronavirus pandemic. At the time of writing, about 100 Apple Stores recently reopened, and the rest are sure to follow suit at some point.

If your Mac is eligible to be traded in, you should be able to take it to a brick-and-mortar Apple Store and get instant credit for it. However, it's worth noting that a number of Apple Stores have coronavirus safety measures in place, such as mandated appointments and curbside pickup, so it’s best to call ahead.

How much can you get for your used Mac? Realistically, you won’t know until you try — even if you get a trade-in estimate online. Apple has always cautioned that any physical or operational issues your device has could potentially lower its value, even if those issues aren’t immediately obvious to you.

Still, it should be a lot easier to find out immediately now than after a few weeks like before.

Bloomberg recently reported that this change was imminent and noted in a tweet that Apple has removed language from its website stating Mac trade-ins were online only. Gizmodo got an Apple official to confirm the new policy.

Previously, only other Apple devices, such as iPhones, iPads and Apple Watches, were available for in-person trade-in at an Apple Store

Apple's range of iMacs has certainly received a mixed bag of attention, from both consumers and business users since it was first released in 1998. It's loved by those in the design industry as much as those looking for a beautiful desktop design. They're powerful, beautiful and now, its latest range of iMac Pros have been taken to a whole other level, with the performance to power some seriously labour-intensive workloads.

The iMac Pro is Apple's first enterprise-level machine since the Mac Pro. But this power comes at a price and this is where the company has received some criticism. With pricing from 5,000 all the way up to more than 12,000 for the top-of-the-range machine, it's not surprising some have given the company some negative press.

But truly, the iMac Pro is a force to be reckoned with. It's Apple's most powerful machine to date, equipped with a massive 18-core Intel Xeon W processor and 128GB of DDR4 memory. When you mix its might with Apple's prowess, you have a machine that's seriously tempting for enterprises looking to beef up their computing arsenal.

Apple iMac Pro review: Design

One of the things that Apple consistently leads the market on is the design of its entire range of devices. The iMac design has evolved a lot over the last two decades and many have tried to copy its sleek aesthetic, but no one has really managed to hit the same level of class.

Understandably, Apple hasn't messed with its winning formula, and the iMac Pro is visually identical to the vanilla iMac. It's got the same minimalist aluminium shell and the same clean lines. There are a few critical differences, though. For a start, the iMac Pro is the only member of the iMac family to come in Space Grey - which is the only colour it comes in.

Each machine comes with one of Apple's Magic branded keyboards, as well as a Magic Trackpad and Magic Mouse, both of which are the second generation versions. All of these peripherals come in Space Grey, which is currently the only way to obtain that colour.

If it isn't obvious already, we're besotted with the look of the iMac Pro - it manages to keep that classic iMac design while adding an air of business-like sophistication with the Space Grey finish.

Yet, its appeal isn't just superficial. Its perfect mechanical balance means you can tilt and rotate the screen with absolute ease, and a handful of new mounting features mean it will likely be a hit among business users - specifically, you can now detach the base and fix it to a wall mount or third-party stand.

One gripe we still have with the iMac design, however, is the lack of any means to adjust its height, but that's a fairly minor criticism when the rest of the construction is this good.

What may prove to be a bigger problem is the lack of customisation available. It's certainly possible to get into the case and replace a number of its components, but this requires considerable effort and users risk voiding any warranty they have with Apple. Windows workstations, by comparison, are a doddle to repair and upgrade, with easy access to the internals and no tricky proprietary standards to cause you headaches.

Apple iMac Pro review: Display

Apple's hardware is famous for its image quality, and the display quality of its latest iMac range is absolutely stunning. Unsurprisingly, the iMac Pro is every bit as capable as its stablemate in this regard, and the 27in screen is an absolute joy to behold.

It's got a 5K resolution (which translates to 5,120 x 2,880 if you want to be specific) and supports the wide colour DCI-P3 gamut. It was effectively flawless in our display tests, covering 98.9% of the DCI-P3 gamut and producing gorgeous, accurate colours and sharp, crisp blacks with deep contrast. At 551cdm/2, the maximum brightness is actually slightly blinding - we had to turn it down to about 75% to reach a comfortable level.

The iMac Pro's display is sure to be a big hit with designers and graphics professionals, for obvious reasons. Not only is it huge, pin-sharp and incredibly accurate, it also supports a wide range of different colour profiles for a variety of different professional use-cases. It's a perfect demonstration of why Apple has earned such a sterling reputation for creating beautiful, high-quality displays.

Apple iMac Pro review: Performance

Apple has brought out the big guns for the iMac Pro. It's the company's most powerful machine to date, and intended to handle pretty much anything a business can throw of it, short of heavy-duty server operations. With an 18-core Intel Xeon W processor, 128GB of DDR4 memory and AMD's Radeon Pro Vega 64 graphics chip in the top-spec configuration, it's fair to say that this machine is an absolute monster.

Of course, you'll have to fork over a truly eye-watering amount if you want that much power - the most expensive configuration costs in excess of 12,000. Paying that much money for a desktop computer may sound like utter madness, but it's important to put that number into perspective. A comparably-specced Windows workstation would cost at least 10,000 - and that's without including the cost of a 21in 5K monitor.

With this much firepower on display, you'd hope that the iMac Pro would be capable of some seriously impressive feats, and Apple's workhorse certainly doesn't disappoint. We tested the standard (and least powerful) configuration, which comes with 3.2GHz octocore Intel Xeon W-2140B processor, an 8GB Radeon Pro Vega 56 GPU and 32GB of RAM.

Even though this is the iMac Pro's entry-level configuration, it easily blew last year's bottom-tier 5K iMac out of the water in our benchmarks, racking up an overall score of 283 - well over double the regular iMac's score of 109. It's worth noting that these improvements are almost entirely centred around multi-core operations. The iMac Pro scored similarly to the 5K iMac in our single-core image editing tests, but it was more than twice as efficient at video editing, and multitasking was around three times faster.

Graphics performance is good as well. On Unigine's heaven benchmark - a reasonably demanding test of graphical horsepower - the iMac Pro managed to achieve 48fps at a 2,560 x 1,440 resolution and medium detail. Although this is only marginally better than the 5K iMac's result from last year, it's nonetheless impressive. It even managed a smooth 35fps on the ultra quality setting. We should also point out that at no point during our testing did we notice any loud cooling fans, and machine felt cool to the touch throughout the duration. It's one cool cucumber.

Unlike most Macs, this machine is specifically designed for use with 3D modelling, rendering and CAD tasks, which means it needs a bit more grunt than your average MacBook. Thankfully, however, the iMac Pro doesn't disappoint in this regard, keeping pace with hulking Windows workstations such as the PC Specialist Apollo X02, the Scan 3XS WI4000 and the Chillblast Fusion Render OC Lite in our workstation performance benchmark tests.

Storage is lightning-quick, too, with the 1TB PCIe SSD delivering measured read speeds of 2.4GB/sec and write speeds of 3GB/sec - well over twice the speed of the 2017 iMac's Fusion Drive. In fact, compared to the latter's 130MB/sec write speed, the iMac Pro is over 2,000% faster.

All of which is to say that this is an almost frighteningly powerful machine. It's not as quick as the beefiest Windows workstations on the market, but it's far and away the most capable piece of hardware that Apple has ever produced - and this is just the entry-level configuration. From 3D rendering to extreme multi-tasking and demanding media editing work, there's not much that this sleek all-in-one won't be able to handle - including virtual reality hardware and apps.

Apple iMac Pro review: Ports and features

Apple may have abandoned the idea of versatile connectivity options for its MacBook range, but it certainly hasn't given up on it with its desktop devices. The iMac Pro is sporting a robust suite of port options, including 10Gb Ethernet, an SDXC card reader, four USB 3.0 ports and no less than four Thunderbolt 3 inputs. These allow you to connect not only two external 5K monitors, but also an external GPU, letting you bolster your iMac Pro with additional graphics processing power.

Apple iMac Pro review: Verdict

The iMac Pro is one seriously heavyweight contender. It's fitted with some of the most powerful components ever to grace an Apple machine, and it puts them to great use. The display is as gorgeous as you'd expect and the whole thing runs like a dream.

Let's address the elephant in the room, though. Yes, it's expensive, but as we mentioned earlier, it's actually not that much more expensive than Windows machines in the same category. Admittedly, you will be paying a noticeable markup compared to similarly-equipped rivals, but remember that for your initial entry price, you'll also be getting a truly spectacular 27in 5K display, and the whole package is wrapped up in by far the sleekest and most attractive chassis of any enterprise workstation.

If the iMac Pro is Apple's attempt to reclaim the business market, then we have to say that it's putting up one hell of a fight. This machine takes all the raw grunt you'd expect from a heavy-duty enterprise PC and crams it into Apple's signature all-in-one design in a way that virtually defies comprehension.

It may not be the most powerful - and it's certainly not cheap - but as far as we're concerned, the iMac Pro represents the pinnacle of business-grade workstation design. Go on, why not treat yourself?

Since the big redesign in 2012, the iconic iMac has been a staple of businesses and homes alike. In those seven years, smartphones and laptops have undergone radical aesthetic changes, but the faithful iMac has stayed the same. The saying 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it' comes to mind with this classic desktop PC because the design hasn't changed much, if at all, in seven years.

The Apple brand and its likeable designs have a dedicated following, but if it doesn't look any different year on year, why should they upgrade now? For 2019, the company might point to the souped-up specs that have been crammed into the super slim display, but what's so good inside this PC that could tempt you to switch from 2018's model?

Apple iMac 21.5in review: Design

Admittedly, Apple created something quite beautiful with the iMac in 2012 and seven years later that design still has picturesque quality - the iconic old iMac silhouette still works. And that signature look is a big reason it's become such a popular choice in homes and offices around the world. So, while little has changed on the outside, we can't really hold that against it.

It has that lovely flat screen TV look, thanks to its almost impossibly thin edges. This is particularly impressive when you consider what's packed into it, which is virtually everything. Apple has managed to fit a nice selection of ports into the back of this all-in-one PC and it's all elegantly held up by a neat L shaped stand. That stand, like the monitor, is constructed from aluminium and finished in an attractive matte silver. Now, while it is a thing of beauty, you still can't adjust the height of the monitor - it does tilt, but not enough to make up for it. So, depending on your height, you may need to bump it up by putting a couple of books underneath.

Apple iMac 21.5in review: Display

While it looks no different on the outside, the screen has been upgraded from its last outing. This 4K, wide-gamut display has a resolution of 4,096 x 2,340 and you'll notice straight away that it's capable of producing extremely vibrant colours. This was backed up in our tests with a colour gamut coverage of 98.3%, which was matched by its excellent colour accuracy. Its brightness levels too were impressive, reaching a peak of 517cd/m - however, the contrast ratio was down at 571:1, which is surprisingly low for an otherwise high-spec display.

As you'd rightly expect from an iMac display, the quality is stunning across the board. Everything looks pin-sharp, colours are both accurate and vibrant, and the 21in size allows a decent amount of working space for multi-window multi-tasking.

What really lets the screen down though, is the massive black bezels around the display. It's 2019 and everything from smartphones to TVs are rocking edge-to-edge displays. As such, the bezels on the iMac stand out all the more, particularly at the bottom where there's an aluminium bar with the Apple logo already robbing us of more screen space. It's the one element of the design that really should have been updated.

Apple iMac 21.5in review: Performance and Features

Powering this refreshed iMac is a new CPU which offers a noticeable jump in performance over the previous generation of iMac. The new processor options include the quad-core Intel Core i3 chips or, for more power, the six-core Core i5 and Core i7 parts. Our review unit includes the six-core Core i5-8500 chip with a base frequency of 3GHz, which is supported by 8GB of RAM and an AMD Radeon Pro 560X with 4GB of memory.

The processor is a low-end desktop part, and while it's got two more cores than the Core i5-7500 part that the 27in iMac we reviewed back in 2017 had, these cores aren't hyperthreaded. You might think that would hold it back somewhat, but you'd be wrong.

In actual fact, it racked up a capable overall score of 196 in our benchmark tests, with strong results across all areas. That puts it ahead of the 15in MacBook Pro and its six-core, Core i9 processor, and almost twice as fast as the 27in 2017 iMac. It's also only around 30% slower than the 27in Core i9 iMac that launched alongside it, which recently overtook the iMac Pro as the fastest Apple machine we've ever tested.

In short, it means that the 21in Core i5 iMac Pro - which, let's not forget, is not even the most powerful configuration - offers a level of processor performance that's approaching what we'd expect from a professional workstation.

Apple iMac 21.5in review: Storage

Our review model was fitted with a 1TB Apple Fusion drive, quite a fancy name for what is just a 2.5in 5,400rpm Hitachi hard disk combined with a 32GB flash drive, the latter of which is used for caching commonly accessed files.

If you're now used to the blistering speeds of SSDs, you might this older hard disk a little too sluggish, particularly when first opening programs and large files. And that's for the more expensive model - the cheaper version comes with an even slower 1TB hard disk, so paying a little more for a more modern storage device is advisable.

That begs the question as to why Apple is still using mechanical disks at all. It would have been easy to offer customers faster storage options, especially since the price of SSDs is continually falling, with equivalent sizes of 1TB being available for around 100.

Apple iMac 21.5in review: Ports and Features

The keyboard and mouse, both of which are 'Magic' branded, live up to their respective names. The keyboard, in particular, is superb - it looks fantastic, feels great to use, and is a joy to type on. As you might expect, it also integrates seamlessly with the iMac.

Round the back of the screen, to the right-hand side, there's a decent range of ports; four USB 3, two Thunderbolt 3 USB Type-C sockets, a Gigabit Ethernet port, SDXC card slot and 3.5mm headset jack. The speakers are also hidden away, with the sound coming from grilles cut discreetly into the narrow bottom edge underneath the screen.

Apple iMac 21.5in review: Verdict

In some ways, the lack of change on the iMac's design is comforting, like a big dollop of nostalgia. Sure, it's a bit of a bezel-heavy homage to 2012, but a big reason why the iMac took over offices around the world, and certainly in home offices, is the brilliant design. It still looks (almost) as beautiful and eye-catching as it did seven years ago.

Inside it, however, there is real tangible change, such as the vibrant display and the speedy processor. This adds up to a machine that, although it may look the same as its forebears, is a radically different beast inside. It's a worthy upgrade from any of the previous iMacs (with the exception of the iMac Pro), and it runs rings around most of the Windows-based competition. In short, this 21.5in iMac is a bit like the 'S' variants of its iPhone stablemates - a much snappier version of what you already have.

Verdict

A snappy processor and vibrant display are welcome upgrades to everyone's favourite desktop PC from 2012. Like 'S' model iPhones, the new iMac is an improvement on what you probably already have.

There's something unique about the Apple iMac. Whether it's the internal hardware, the astonishing display, the vaguely retrofuturist aesthetic or some combination of all three, something about the iMac has struck a chord with users in a way that no other all-in-one has quite been able to replicate.

Competitors continue to produce credible rivals to Apple's other products, but we'd struggle to name more than a couple of devices that even occupy the same category as the iMac, let alone put up a genuine challenge. However, while Apple should be commended for creating such an iconic device, there's also a risk that the company becomes too complacent, leaving room for other companies to close the gap.

This brings us neatly to the 2019 re-issue of the 27in desktop iMac. Once again, Apple has opted to update the device's internal hardware without materially changing the design. But is an engine tune-up enough to get this all-in-one over the line?

Apple iMac 27in (2019) review: Design

In the years since its big 2012 redesign, Apple's iconic iMac has become a staple in homes and offices the world over. Its sleek lines and smooth, minimalist aluminium chassis have made it a sought-after status symbol for everyone from developers to directors. It's easy to see why, too - its space-age looks exude a sense of timeless class.

On the other hand, however, Apple hasn't significantly updated the iMac's exterior design for the better part of a decade, and it's now starting to show. This iteration hasn't updated the chassis at all from its previous incarnation and unfortunately, while many elements of its appearance are still as fresh as they were when it was first unveiled, certain aspects have started to age rather poorly.

The things which most noticeably betrays its age are the large 27mm bezels surrounding the screen. Frankly, bezels this big have no place on a display in 2019, and they're far bigger than the bezels on any other standalone monitor or all-in-one we've tested in the past year or so. It's purely a cosmetic issue, and one that shouldn't adversely affect the actual usability of the device, but it's becoming increasingly irritating - particularly as rival manufacturers have long ago surpassed Apple in this area.

Another aspect of the design in which Apple trails behind the competition is adjustability. As with every single one of the company's previous iMacs, the screen only tilts up and down - there's no sideways rotation here, and if you want to adjust the height then you'll simply have to pop the stand on top of a couple of books. Most of Apple's competition offers a lot more adjustability than this; consider the Surface Studio, which not only has adjustable height but also drops down to become a digital artboard.

Apple iMac 27in (2019) review: Display

Look past the slightly dated chassis, though, and you'll find that the display inside it is still one of the very best in the business. The massive 27in panel still has a 5,120 x 2,880 5K resolution, but it's even more technically impressive than last time. The brightness and contrast have been marginally increased to 540cd/m2 and 1,063:1 respectively, while colour accuracy and gamut coverage is superb across both the sRGB and DCI-P3 colour spaces.

This is, obviously, not much of a surprise - the quality of Apple's iMac displays has been nigh-untouchable for around a decade now. It's a reliably outstanding screen, and that's worth bearing in mind when you look at the price. You're paying not just for the internal components, but also for a top-notch 27in 5K display - something that would cost you a pretty penny when purchased separately.

Apple iMac 27in (2019) review: Specs and performance

With Apple reusing the same shell as its 2017 iMac for this model, the meat of the upgrades are once again found under the hood this year. They come in the form of powerfully upgraded processors, including three separate flavours of Intel's 6-core, 8th-gen i5 processors (clocked at 3GHz, 3.1GHz and 3.7GHz), with the option to upgrade to a mighty 8-core, 9th-gen Core i9 processor.

Similarly, there are multiple AMD Radeon Pro GPUs on offer depending on which tier of device you opt for; a 4GB 570X, a 4GB 575X or an 8GB 580X. If you really want to splash out, you can go for a Radeon Pro Vega 48 with a whopping 8GB of HBM2 memory. All configurations start with 8GB of RAM, which is upgradeable at point of purchase to a maximum of either 32GB or 64GB, depending on the configuration.

Our review unit came with the fitted with the 3.6GHz 8-core i9-9900K CPU, the Pro Vega 48 graphics chip and 16GB of RAM - an awe-inspiring loadout indeed, and it's not even fully maxed-out. What's even more impressive is that when we put it through our performance benchmark tests, it nosed ahead of last year's hulking iMac Pro with an overall score of 294 - and it managed the same feat across all of our performance tests, including the LuxMark and CineBench rendering tests.

It's worth noting, of course, that the iMac Pro we tested was the entry-level configuration with an 8-core Intel Xeon processor, rather than the titanic 18-core max-spec chip, but that's still a hell on an achievement - the iMac Pro's starting price is more than 1,500 more expensive than even this powerful configuration.

Apple iMac 27in (2019) review: Storage

We don't usually devote an entire section to talking about storage, but the iMac is a special case. The reason it's a special case is that if you're not careful, you can get seriously stung by picking the wrong storage option. The default option is one of Apple's Fusion Drives, which are hybrids of flash memory and mechanical disks, and although they're faster than traditional mechanical drives, they still don't get anywhere near the speeds of a proper SSD.

On the flip side, however, Apple charges a downright extortionate premium for upgrading to a higher-capacity SSD, with the maximum 2TB option costing almost 1,000. The best option is to plump for the smallest SSD on offer - the 512GB option - which provides the best mix of speed and value, adding a mere 90 to the base price.

That's the drive that arrived in our review model, and it managed pretty good performance overall. Its read and write speeds of 2.4GB/sec and 1.9GB/sec weren't quite as fast as the speeds offered by the iMac Pro, but they're still out in front of most Windows-based devices - particularly in terms of write speeds.

Apple iMac 27in (2019) review: Ports and features

Unlike its laptops, Apple thankfully fits its iMacs with a well-rounded and comprehensive selection of ports and inputs. This includes four USB 3 ports and two Thunderbolt 3-compatible USB Type-C ports, alongside a Gigabit Ethernet port and a full-size SD card reader. That's more than enough for just about any business user - especially given that you won't necessarily need to worry about connecting an external monitor.

Our sole complaint is that the placement of the ports - on the rear of the chassis - makes them a bit fiddly to get at. If you're plugging something in, you'll likely need to rotate the iMac in order to see what you're doing, which can be a pain.

Apple iMac 27in (2019) review: Verdict

It's hard to feel like Apple isn't resting on its laurels a little when it comes to the iMac. Although it's been periodically updated, there haven't been any significant changes to the exterior design in a number of years, which is a shame given how polished and impressive the rest of it is.

The 27in version, in particular, is one of the most powerful devices we've ever seen from the company, with the top-end configuration offering a staggering amount of performance. Combined with a display that's somehow even better than the previous iteration, and you get an all-in-one which is guaranteed to please.

You'll pay for the privilege, of course - the configuration on test came in at 3,284 including tax, for example - but as previously mentioned, once you factor in the cost of such an outstanding display, that starts to look a tad more reasonable. It's highly-priced to be sure, but that doesn't mean it's poor value. In fact, the 27in iMac remains one of the best choices around for media and design companies - or anyone that has to work with demanding and visually-intensive applications.

Apple has beefed up its range of iMacs with Intel's latest 9th-gen processors and improved AMD Vega graphics, which the company says will offer up to 2.4 times the performance.

Both the 21.5in and 27in desktop iMac models have received internal hardware refreshes for the first time since 2017, although the chassis has not been redesigned. The smaller machine has been upgraded to feature 8th-gen Intel quad-core processors, as well as six-core chips for the first time on an iMac.

The larger 27in device, however, has been even more drastically overhauled, with cutting edge 9th-gen processors featuring not only six-core i5 options but also an eight-core i9 variant. Apple claims that the 21.5in and 27in iMacs will offer 60% and 240% better speeds, respectively.

Graphics have been upgraded too, and both units now come with optional Radeon Pro Vega discrete GPUs - specifically, the Radeon Pro Vega 48 with 8GB VRAM for the 27in model and Radeon Pro Vega 20 with 4GB VRAM for the 21.5in device. The company has promised graphics performance gains of 80% for the 21.5in model, while the 27in unit will reportedly be up to 50% faster.

Elsewhere, not much has changed - both devices appear to be using the same display, and they look visually identical to their predecessors, as is common with Apple's mid-generation updates.

Apple hasn't raised the base prices of the two iMacs either; they still start from 1,249 and 1,749 respectively (excluding the non-retina 21.5in model), but be warned - as with all Apple's hardware, the fully tricked-out version will take a serious chunk out of your budget. 4,904, to be exact, which buys you the top configuration of the 27in iMac, including a six-core, 9th-gen Core i9 but excluding software and peripherals.

The goal, it seems, is to try and bridge the gulf between Apple's professional-grade iMac range and its enterprise-level iMac Pro, which is as expensive as it is powerful. The new hardware should offer noticeable performance improvements that ensure the iMac range is still competitive enough to remain an attractive option for creative businesses.

The gap between the iMac and iMac Pro ranges may have widened in spite of these efforts, however, as today Apple also quietly introduced new configuration options to the iMac Pro. These include a new 256GB RAM allocation costing 4,680 on top of the base price, and a Radeon Pro Vega 64X GPU for 630. These new options push the price of a fully-equipped, top-spec iMac Pro to more than 14,500 - an expensive proposition for even the most cash-rich of businesses.

These unexpected announcements follow yesterday's surprise launch of brand new iPad Air and iPad Mini devices for the first time in more than three years. Both launches precede a scheduled Apple event on Monday, which is widely expected to focus on the company's long-rumoured streaming service with which it hopes to challenge the likes of Netflix.

Apple has refreshed its Mac mini for the first time in four years with more powerful internal hardware, a reconfigured arrangement of ports, and a space grey aluminium finish.

The next-generation Mac mini comes with a minimum of four cores - up to six - and supports up to 64GB DDR RAM, Intel UHD Graphics, as well as up to 2TB all-flash SSD storage.

CEO Tim Cook announced the device at Apple's special event held on 30 October in Brooklyn, New York, alongside a new edge-to-edge iPad Pro, and a MacBook Air.

The company claims its flagship portable desktop device, which also features a T2 security chip, can perform HEVC video encode at 30 times the rate of its previous iteration, and generally performs five times faster.

Apple also says the Mac mini can perform several folds faster on a host of key applications, including 5.4 times faster while using Logic, 5.3 times faster using Maya, and 3.2 times faster using Photoshop.

The base model, available at 799 (inc VAT), is fitted with an 8th generation 3.6GHz Intel quad-core i3 processor, 8GB DDR4 RAM, 128GB SSD storage.

Its most powerful configuration meanwhile, with an 8thgeneration 3.6GHz Intel sixcore i7 chip, is priced at 3,709.

All configurations of Apple's portable Mac device feature four Thunderbolt 3.0 ports, two USB-A ports, an HDMI port, Ethernet connectivity supporting up to 10 gigabits, and a 3.5mm headphone jack.

This represents an upgrade on the previous Mac mini's two Thunderbolt 2.0 ports, four USB-A ports, HDMI, SDXC card reader, 3.5mm headphone jack and an audio line-in.

The previous-generation Mac mini, which was released in 2014, featured a dual-core processor by default, with a maximum of four cores. It also supported up to 16GB of DDR3 RAM, as well as an up to 2TB Fusion Drive.

Despite the device's more powerful specs and higher performance levels, its dimensions (36mm x 196mm x 196mm) are unchanged on the previous model, while it weighs 100g heavier at 1.3kg.

The Mac mini is available for pre-order from today and will be released on 7 November.

20/10/2017: Apple hasn't given up on the Mac Mini

Apple CEO Tim Cook has announced that the Mac Mini, which was last refreshed three years ago, will play an important role in future product lines.

Since its latest release, the Mac Mini has been pretty low on Apple's priority list, causing its users to wonder about its future. A MacRumours reader, who goes by the name Krar, took matters into his own hands and emailed Cook, expressing his love for the device and asking if any updates are in its future.

Perhaps surprisingly, Cook responded saying that although it is not necessarily the time to reveal any details "we do plan for Mac mini to be an important part of our product line going forward".

Similarly, Apple marketing chief Phil Schiller, commented on the Mac Mini when the new Mac Pro was revealed saying: "The Mac mini is an important product in our lineup and we weren't bringing it up because it's more of a mix of consumer with some pro use."

The Mac Mini is still the most affordable desktop machine in Apple's line up, mostly because it does not come with a mouse, keyboard, or display. While very outdated, the device is still on sale at the Apple Store.

Despite Apple's hints, it is unlikely that a new Mac Mini model will be launched until 2018 at the earliest, according to MacRumours.

It could be argued that the Mac Mini is a pretty niche product that does not really warrant a lot of attention from Apple, particularly when it has a capable line up of MacBooks and all-in-one iMac machines to attract macOS fans.

But time will tell how much Apple effort will dedicate to the Mac Mini and whether it can bring a dose of innovation into the small-form desktop device.

Apple's MacBook Pro is now somewhat venerable by laptop standards. The latest design was launched in 2016 to great fanfare, and got even better last year with the upgrade to Intel's 7th-generation Kaby Lake CPUs. However, Apple's challengers have been nipping at the MacBook Pro's heels ever since, and companies like Acer, Dell and HP are gaining ever more ground on it.

With so much competition, has the MacBook Pro still got what it takes to keep Apple as king of the notebook hill?

MacBook Pro 13in (2017) review: Screen, keyboard and trackpad

There's no denying the 2017 MacBook Pro's screen is still stunning. Not only are the colours vibrant, with accurate contract and brightness throughout, but images are pin sharp on the 2,560 x 1,600 pixel retina display. Always one of the MacBook Pro's most redeeming features, the resolution does definitely not disappoint. Bravo again, Apple.

Just as the brightness and contrast deserve praise, so does colour reproduction. Apple's decided to give the 2017 MacBook Pro something of a feature boost, with a wider DCI P3 colour gamut. This means the colours are richer and offer a pretty spot-on reproduction of colours - better than the majority of the notebooks available today.

Whether you use a MacBook Pro to edit images and video, or just want to watch YouTube, play around with files or need it for more intricate design work, the screen makes this all a breeze.

The MacBook Pro's keyboard is unquestionably one of the best on the market. Rather than attempting to maximise the travel distance and feedback of each key, Apple has essentially done the opposite, shaving travel time down to a bare minimum.

This would be a negative point, were it not for the fact that it has also scaled down the amount of force needed to actuate each keystroke, meaning that after a brief adjustment period, your fingers will be gliding over the keys with effortless speed and grace. It's a far cry from the solid 'thunk' of a good mechanical keyboard, but feedback is still firm and satisfying as well.

The MacBook Pro's trackpad is another highlight, providing plenty of room to manoeuvre while offering appropriate sensitivity levels that let you move to the edges of the screen without having to reposition your finger. Unfortunately, the left and right clicks aren't quite punchy enough to provide the sort of feedback we enjoy on other trackpads, but this is a fairly minor gripe.

We can do nothing but praise the accuracy of the MacBook Pro's trackpad. The fact it responds to every tiny stroke makes it ideal for intricate tasks such as photo and video editing that are usually more suited to an external mouse or even a graphics tablet.

Multi-touch gestures have also seen much improvement in this latest version of Apple's portable hardware, making it much easier to stroke using two fingers or more to complete actions. Even if you're yet to uncover this seemingly secret world, now's the time to give it a go.

MacBook Pro 13in (2017) review: Design and features

Unfortunately, Apple hasn't had a change of heart and has still omitted the majority of 'standard' ports, such as a full-size USB connector. Along with the USB, the Thunderbolt 2, SD card reader and HDMI ports are also gone. All except the standard 3.5mm jack have been replaced by Thunderbolt 3 slots that can be used for everything, including data transfer tasks and hooking up printers, an external mouse if you're not keen on using Bluetooth, a monitor and just about everything else you may want to add.

The lower-cost iterations of the MacBook Pro only have two ports too (and one will need to be used for charging the laptop if you like to work with it plugged in), so only having one port will cause some annoyance. If you opt for the more expensive Touch Bar-enabled laptop, you'll have four to play with, but that comes at a hefty price.

This may prove a pain for a large chunk of MacBook users. If you're using it as a desktop replacement, it means you may need to rethink your workstation setup, as monitors, keyboards, and other peripherals likely won't connect directly to Thunderbolt 3 ports. Your best option is to invest in a dock, which adds extra hassle and expense onto an already pricey device.

There's a silver lining, though, and that's that having to use a dock can actually streamline your workspace and make you more mobile. You can get your whole setup connected in one stroke (connect your monitor, keyboard, mouse and any other peripherals to the dock, which then connects to your MacBook with one cable), making it easier to flit between mobile and desk-based working.

That's something you're going to want to be doing a lot, too - this is Apple's thinnest, lightest MacBook Pro yet, and it's never been easier to sling it in a bag when you're heading out the office. In fact, it's the same weight as the equivalent MacBook Air and as thin as the Air's thickest point, although it doesn't taper to a fine edge. In terms of mobility, it's definitely Apple's best laptop thus far for working on the go.

While it may seem like an odd point to mention, the MacBook Pro's hinge is really nice. The movement is smooth, with noticeably less force needed to adjust it than older models. It shouldn't make that much difference, but it's a small touch that gives it a satisfyingly premium feel.

MacBook Pro 13in (2017) review: Hardware and specs

Apple hasn't refreshed the MacBook Pro's hardware since mid-2017, so it's still sporting last generation's Kaby Lake chips. The 13in model comes with a Core i5 processor, with a base clock speed of 2.3GHz for the entry-level non-Touch Bar version and 3.1GHz for the higher-specced version with Apple's Touch Bar tech.

You can also swap both processors out for slightly faster options at the point of purchase, and both come with 8GB of LPDDR3 memory as standard, with an option to beef that up to 16GB. Both versions of the 13in MacBook Pro use Intel's built-in graphics processing - in order to get a proper discrete GPU, you'll need to upgrade to the 15in model.

These aren't bad specifications, necessarily, but they're no longer quite as cutting-edge as they used to be. It's starting to show, too - the most recent Dell XPS 13 outclassed Apple's top-end MacBook Pro by more than 60% in multi-core performance, according to our Geekbench tests.

Having said that, the 2017 MacBook Pro has had a significant bump over its Skylake-powered predecessor. According to our benchmarks, it's around 10% faster. However, when we ran it through the Geekbench tests, it was more than twice as fast as the 2016 MacBooks at single-core operations, and around a third faster for multi-core tasks. It's roughly on par with the Core i5 version of Microsoft's latest Surface Pro, pulling slightly ahead in terms of multi-tasking.

Even if it's no longer top of the pile in terms of performance, we still wouldn't expect the newest crop of MacBook Pros to struggle with anything but the most demanding of tasks, and our review unit did not disappoint. Even when running the latest version of Adobe Photoshop, LibreOffice, Spotify and three Chrome windows with more than 10 tabs each, the MacBook Pro didn't break a sweat, and you're unlikely to see slowdown unless you start seriously pushing it to the max with intensive rendering tasks.

The 2016 MacBook Pro's already-excellent storage speeds have also been improved on, with an upgrade to both read and write performance. The 2017 MacBook Pro's read speed has had a negligible speed boost of around 5%, bringing it up to about 2.1GB/sec, but write speeds have had a massive 69% uptick, pushing them to a blazing 3GB/sec. We managed to transfer 8.5GB of files in mere seconds.

These speeds are blazing, to say the least, and outstrip the competition by a country mile. If you've ever been bothered by long load times, the new MacBook Pro should make those frustrations a thing of the past.

Unfortunately, one area where the latest MacBook Pro has slipped slightly is in terms of its battery life. The 7hrs 30mins score it racked up in our benchmark tests isn't exactly shameful, but it's more than two hours less than last year's model and less than a full workday.

This is the price that you pay for Kaby Lake's improved performance over its predecessor, but it's an irritating compromise that we could have done without. On the other hand, Thunderbolt 3 charging means that it's compatible with a huge range of third-party power supplies, so juicing back up shouldn't be a problem.

MacBook Pro 13in (2017) review: Verdict

When Apple first debuted its redesigned MacBook Pro in 2016, it was a seriously impressive machine; sleek, sophisticated and without an ounce of uncessary fat on it, it was the pinnacle of notebook design in a number of ways. Last year's addition of 7th-generation Kaby Lake chips made it even more attractive, offering some of the best performance around, and it richly deserved the five-star score and Editor's Choice award that we gave it when we first reviewed it.

Two years on from the initial launch, however, and the blush has come off the rose to a certain extent. Apple's top-spec MacBook Pro is now being outperformed by cheaper Windows alternatives thanks to Intel's 8th-gen processors, and while Apple's design still hasn't truly been equalled from an aesthetic standpoint, its rivals are now both thinner and lighter.

It's still a heavyweight performer, and you're very unlikely to be disappointed by it in any particular way - but the fact is that it's now even worse in terms of value for money than it was originally. If you've got the cash to splash and nothing but Apple will do, then it's still the MacBook to buy, but if you want a cheaper, more portable and more powerful option, then Dell's XPS 13 is the notebook to go for.

This might not last long though; rumours suggest that Apple may be about to unveil a new line of Coffee Lake MacBook Pros, and if it does, we fully expect them to re-establish the Cupertino company's place at the top of the heap.

Let's not beat around the bush: the Apple MacBook Air was and still is one of the most lightweight, powerful notebooks around, offering that beautiful Apple style and functionality. It was first released more than ten years ago and although at the time many didn't think it was possible to integrate the same features into a super-slim laptop as the company packed into its desktops and other laptops, they were soon proven wrong.

A decade on and the MacBook Air is still a firm favourite. The exterior hasn't changed much as all, with a super-slim aluminium casing. But the internals really have changed with the times and that definitely comes with a warm welcome.

Design and build

We're glad Apple hasn't changed the design of the MacBook Air too much. Although it could be considered a plain Jane by some (because it doesn't come with the same colour selection as the more expensive and bulkier MacBooks), the silver aluminium casing really is fine. It looks good, feels good when you run your hand over it and who doesn't love than ultra-thin style?

2017's MacBook Air is just as slimline as its predecessors, with a profile of just 17mm at its thickest point. It's also still incredibly lightweight at just 1.35kg and that's with a whole lot of power packed in under the hood.

The backlit keyboard, which hasn't been given the "butterfly" switches treatment given to the new 12in MacBook Retina, has excellent tactile feedback although is perhaps just a little rattly, but the keypress action is nonetheless pleasing and there's enough travel to make it comfortable to type on for long periods.

The touchpad works exceptionally well, with no Windows-based laptop able to match the precise feel of Apple's design. Taps and clicks are effortless while gestures such as two-fingered scrolling, back and forward browser commands and two-fingered "right-clicks" are reliable, accurate and instantaneous. It makes navigating the macOS Sierra operating system incredibly easy.

Connectivity and Thunderbolt 2

There are two USB3 ports - one on the left and one on the right - as well as a 3.5mm headset jack, an SDXC card reader and a Thunderbolt 2 port. This is the first notable upgrade to the MacBook Air, which was previously equipped with a Thunderbolt connector.

The difference between the two is purely a speed upgrade: connected devices now have 20Gbps of bandwidth to play with instead of 10Gbps. The peripherals you can connect are the same: high-speed storage (such as RAID arrays) and high-resolution monitors (with Thunderbolt or DisplayPort inputs). But with this new, improved performance, huge files such as ultra-HD/4K video will be easier to handle when streaming to your MacBook Air and simultaneously writing it to another drive. Up to six devices can be connected over Thunderbolt (using an external hub) simultaneously.

Thunderbolt 2 will be of particular importance to business that use external storage for large files, such as media companies and firms with reams of data on external hard disc that needs to be sifted through at high speed.

Elsewhere, you still get 802.11ac wi-fi connectivity, great for connecting to the latest networks with better coverage and higher speeds than 802.11n. There's no gigabit ethernet connector but you can buy a Thunderbolt to gigabit ethernet connector direct from Apple for 29, or a bit cheaper elsewhere on the web.

Screen

We were disappointed to see that Apple hasn't boosted the resolution of the Air's 13.3in screen. The 1,440 x 900-pixel resolution is still perfectly usable and items on screen look reasonably sharp. But they lack the detail and crispness you get on higher quality displays such as those in use on the MacBook Pro and Dell XPS 13.

Colour coverage remains an issue, with just 70% of the sRGB gamut served by the TFT panel. This lack of colour performance is offset slightly by a very bright backlight and matt screen that makes this laptop suitable for use outside and in bright office conditions. Viewing angles are sub-par, though, particularly when adjusting the screen vertically. It would have been nice to have a higher quality or higher resolution panel in the Air, and at this price it's starting to look a little bit lacklustre.

Performance, storage and battery life

As you might expect from what is now effectively the entry-level device for the MacBook range, the Air doesn't have the top-of-the-line specifications featured in the MacBook Pro or new MacBooks. For example, it still has a fifth-generation 'Broadwell' line dual-core Intel Core i5-5250U chip, whereas the newer notebooks have Intel's seventh-generation 'Kaby Lake' CPUs. You can upgrade the Core i5 chip to a Core i7, though.

It runs at a base clock speed of 1.8GHz up from 2015's 1.6GHz and you can also use Turbo Boost, a new feature from Apple that effectively allows you to overclock the processor while still running at a safe temperature. The device comes with 8GB RAM and 128GB or 256GB storage as standard. If you need an extra oomph, though and you have 150 going spare you can upgrade this to 512GB.

Operating system

At the time of writing, the 13in MacBook Air runs macOS Sierra out of the box. This is likely to change towards the end of September, however, when Apple finally releases macOS High Sierra.

High Sierra was demoed at WWDC 2017 but is still currently in beta testing. You can read more about what to expect from the new operating system here, but for the time being, let's dig into macOS Sierra.

Sierra was released in June 2016, with Apple ditching the 'OS X' moniker at the same time. It brought Siri, Apple's virtual assistant, into the dock and allowed the software to perform complex file queries in natural language.

You can also use your Apple Watch (assuming you have one) to unlock your computer and there's also support for Apple Pay as well as a Universal Clipboard function, which works across Apple devices.

For full details of macOS Sierra's specs, click here.

Conclusions

The 2017 upgrades to the MacBook Air are minor, so if you're looking for Apple to completely overhaul this device you may be a little disappointed. While the rest of the recipe is great, we're still underwhelmed by the screen and it's an area that could definitely do with a bit of attention.

This is concerning since the MacBook Pro continues to improve: the cheapest model with a Retina Display is 1,249 and has a more powerful processor. This may push some buyers to go for the Pro, although it is 300g heavier than the Air and the battery life is slightly shorter.

Update: Apple also boosted the 13in Air configuration to 8GB of RAM as standard. This is a very welcome, although long overdue, addition. It is enough to keep the Air ticking over, but we would love to see a bigger update with new Skylake processors, Thunderbolt 3 and a higher quality screen.

Verdict

Performance and storage upgrades keep the already superb MacBook Air ticking over, but the iffy quality screen is starting to hold it back

Processor: Intel Core i5-5250U 1.6GHZ

GPU: Intel HD Graphics 6000

Memory: 8GB LPDDR3 SDRAM

Storage: 256GB SSD

Connectivity: Dual-band 802.11ac WiFi, Bluetooth 4.0

Ports: 2 x USB 3, Thunderbolt, SDXC Card slot, 3.5mm headset jack

Dimensions: (WxDxH): 325mm x 227mm x 170mm

Weight: 1.35kg

Apple and GE have united their enterprise resources to offer businesses a wide range of tools and services to help field workers carry out their jobs more effectively.

GE will use Apple's resources to create new, innovative apps for businesses, while Apple's sales team will try and sell the GE Predix platform to its industry customers. GE will also roll out iPhones and iPads for its 330,000 employees and give them the option of using Macs as their work computers.

Apple's iOS SDK will become an integral part of GE's Predix Platform, which has been designed to help industry businesses, such as manufacturing plants, track their equipment and detect failures before it becomes too serious. This is particularly useful for the company's fleet of transportation equipment such as jet engines, turbines and trains.

"For the first time, we're unlocking incredible new potential for industrial workers by giving them access to native apps that tap the functionality of iOS devices in exciting ways. Now employees can make better informed decisions through the native capabilities of the apps right at their fingertips," Susan Prescott, vice president for apps, markets and services at Apple told TechCrunch.

Prescott explained that, for example, a technician at GE could use the iPhone's camera to view a thermal image of a piece of equipment in order to find a fault. They could also use iBeacons or location services to send information to a worker's iPhone or iPad if there is a problem or the engineer needs further information.

We're essentially closing the feedback loop between the employee in the industrial environment and the analytics and data that's stored in the cloud," she said.

Despite Macs being viewed as the more secure of the two leading computer operating systems, Duo Labs has revealed up to 4.2% of Macs could be vulnerable to a boot up bug caused by outdated software.

The security firm analysed 73,000 "real-world" Macs and all updates to the operating system over the last three years to get an idea of extensible firmware interface (EFI) updates - used to pre-boot Macs - released for the core platform.

It discovered the EFI had not been updated in many of the Macs it tested and although some computers had the most recent security patches and operating systems installed, the pre-boot environment had never been updated, leaving it open to exploit.

However, the researchers said it was unlikely the vulnerability had ever been used, as it simply takes too much effort to exploit compared to other techniques for stealing cash and credentials.

"Attacks against EFI have so far been part of the toolkit used by sophisticated adversaries who have specific high value targets in their sights," Rich SmithandPepijn Bruienne said in a blog post. "Such adversaries are often spoken about in the same breath asnation state attacksandindustrial espionage."

However, they did say that businesses using Macs that can't have the EFI updated should be taken out of service, or at least moved to secure roles, for example, that don't require the use of network access.

"While EFI attacks are currently considered bothsophisticatedandtargeted, depending on the nature of the work your organization does and the value of the data you work with, it's quite possible that EFI attacks fall within your threat model," they said.

"In this regard, vulnerability to EFI security issues should carry the same weight as vulnerability to software security issues and you need to determine if you can accept the risk of having vulnerable (and potentially unpatchable) systems in your environment."

Apple said as a result of Duo Labs' work, it would be re-assessing the way it updates machines, according to the BBC.

It's yet another blow to a name that is typically synonymous with security. Last week, US security researcher and former NSA hacker Patrick Wardle discovered a zero-day exploit affecting the Keychain within macOS High Sierra, allowing hackers to access saved passwords without a master key.

With the iPad Pro, Apple has spent years trying to convince the world that a tablet can act as a genuine replacement for your laptop. Previous iterations never quite managed to convince us that an iPad could function as well as a laptop, particularly for business users.

That may have changed with the latest generation of iPad Pro, however. Apple has overhauled the display, fitted it with a powerful new processor and promised some seriously impressive productivity and functionality upgrades when iOS 11 hits devices. But can the new and improved iPad Pro family really cut it as a fully-fledged laptop replacement?

Who uses the iPad Pro?

Before we delve into the details of the product, it's worth thinking about how the iPad range has been deployed in the enterprise. There's essentially two scenarios: one where an iPad acts as a secondary device - a 'carry around' - when the user has a bigger laptop or desktop computer; and one where the iPad acts as the user's sole device. This latter scenario sounds like it's less common, but Apple has actually had some success in pitching the iPad Pro as a device for field workers and certain office-based employees.

As a secondary device, the iPad Pro's main competition is probably from high-end Android tablets like the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3. However, in the latter scenario the competition is mainly from Windows convertibles like Microsoft's own Surface Pro series.

So with this in mind, how does the latest iPad Pro fare against both these kinds of competition, and in both scenarios? Let's look at how the device shapes up.

iPad Pro: Design, display and specs

If you're expecting a radical redesign of the iPad with the latest models in the Pro range, you'll be disappointed. They're very much still iPads, and follow the same design formula that we're all familiar with. The iPad design is iconic, which is partly why it hasn't really changed since the iPad Air.

The only slight variations to the previous generation of iPad Pro are some minor adjustments to weight, thickness and the size of the screen bezels - all of which are practically negligible. The 10.5in model is a couple of millimetres thicker and around 30g heavier than the 9.7in version it replaces (which is to be expected, given the larger footprint and screen size), while the bigger 12.9in version is around 30g lighter than its predecessor.

Both devices still feel light and comfortable to use, and are excellently-balanced in the hand. The 12.9in version can be slightly unwieldy due to the sheer size of it, but this is easily fixed by pairing it with a stand or folio case.

The real improvements aren't cosmetic though - they're under the hood. Apple has updated all the key elements of the tablet, starting with the screen. The TrueTone display on the iPad Pro 9.7in was already the best screen we'd seen on any device, but Apple hasn't been content to rest on its laurels. Instead, it's ramped up the refresh rate to a maximum of 120Hz, which makes things like scrolling much more responsive. It's also introduced a feature that it's calling ProMotion, which allows it to run the screen at a lower refresh rate if fast motion isn't happening on screen.

ProMotion sounds a little gimmicky, but it's not: it's probably the best thing to happen to mobile screens since the dawn of the retina era. It makes that much difference to how smooth everything looks on screen. There's none of the lag you associate with swiping around on cheaper screens.

This faster refresh rate also contributes to a more responsive experience with the Apple Pencil, which now has a response time of just 20ms - a whole millisecond less than the latest iteration of the Surface Pen. Also contributing to this is some smart code behind the scenes which uses machine learning to predict where the Pencil will move next, and literally "draw ahead" by a millisecond or two. A trained artist we asked for an opinion described the Pencil as easily the most responsive on-screen drawing experience they had ever used, and the first which came close to paper.

If that was all Apple had done, it would be a decent upgrade. But there's more: a lot more. The processor has been updated to the new Apple A10X Fusion ARM chip, which, as we'll see, pushes performance even further. The 32GB configuration is gone, with the range now running 64GB, 256GB, and 512GB, something which sounds crazy for a tablet but which makes complete sense if you're considering the iPad as a genuine laptop replacement.

And of course, Apple being Apple, it had to update the camera too, which is now the same 12MP unit as on the current iPhone 7, widely regarded as amongst the best phone cameras in the world. You might only ever use this for scanning documents - and in conjunction with apps like Office Lens the iPad makes a great document scanner - but you'll get some really good results.

iPad Pro: Performance and battery life

The iPad Pro series were already the fastest tablets we've seen, and the introduction of the A10X Fusion chip pushes this even further. Our Geekbench 4 CPU test delivered scores of 9380 for multi-core and 3,930 for single core. That's just under double the multi-core performance of the device the 10.5in iPad Pro replaces, and more than double the 4,208 scored by the Samsung Galaxy Tab S3. Effectively, the iPad Pro now offers more than twice the multi-core performance of its nearest Android competitor.

Put that into a wider context and it's even more impressive. The Core m3 version of the new Surface Pro scores 5,342 on the same Geekbench multi-core test. The Core i5 version scores 7,544. The iPad Pro 10.5in isn't just scoring "good for a tablet" numbers: it's outperforming the latest desktop processors.

And it's doing this without compromising on the all-day battery life which iPad users want. In our tests, the 10.5in model delivered 12hrs 59mins, which is a significant improvement on the iPad Pro 9.7in's 8hrs 56mins, and easily beats the Galaxy Tab S3's 11hrs 43mins. The larger 12.9in model saw this score drop slightly to 12hrs 18mins, but considering the mammoth size of the display, this is neither a surprise nor a disappointment.

iPad Pro: Pricing and comparison

If you're expecting low-cost tablet prices from the iPad Pro, you can look away now: these devices are priced to compete at the high end, not the low end. When they were first launched, the cheapest iPad Pro - the 10.5in version with 256GB of storage and no 4G connectivity - cost 709 including VAT, with the most expensive configuration setting you back more than 1,100.

However, Apple has now increased the prices, it would seem and now the 256GB Wi-Fi-only iPad Pro costs 769, while other iPad Pros have seen a price increase of around 60 too according to Ars Technica.

Although Apple hasn't officially said why it has increased prices or in fact issued a formal statement highlighting the price shift, 9to5Mac has speculated the company has been forced to increase its prices because of the rising cost of NAND storage. According to analysts, the type of storage the iPad Pro uses is in short supply and as a result suppliers have had to up their prices. This gets filtered down to the customer - you - and unfortunately means the iPad Pro is a lot more expensive to buy.

"Average contract prices of client-grade SSDs in the PC-OEM market are rising this first quarter because not only PC clients are aggressively stocking up their inventories, smartphone clients are also maintaining strong demand for storage components," senior research manager of DRAMeXchange Alan Chen said back in March.

"At the same time, the industry-wide transition to 3D-NAND and 2D-NAND TLC production has sharply reduced the supply of Flash memory of the 2D-NAND MLC type. Thus, the price increase of MLC-based SSDs is outpacing that of TLC-based SSDs."

This was referenced by Apple CFO Luca Maestri on an earnings call in its second quarter earnings call, although he didn't specify the company would need to put its prices up.

But this does make the iPad Pro eye-wateringly expensive. It's worth remembering though that the iPad Pro is outperforming most high-end laptops in terms of display quality, battery life and performance. Considering that Microsoft's latest Surface Pro range starts at almost 800, the iPad actually isn't all that expensive for what you're getting.

iPad Pro: Software

Of course, there's an objection to that point: the iPad Pro runs iOS 10, where the Surface Pro runs Windows 10. And there's no doubt that Windows 10 is, at present, a much more powerful operating system in terms of the richness of applications built on top of it and what you can do with it.

However, Apple is releasing iOS 11 in the autumn and this will add features which some enterprise users will welcome. First, multi-tasking support has been extended and cleaned up, making it easier to have persistent workspaces with two or three applications on screen. Second, drag and drop support has been added, making what you can do with multiple apps on screen more powerful. And finally there's a single Files app which houses all your documents, local and in Apple and third-party cloud services, which is going to make the iPad a much more PC-like' experience.

Conclusions

Apple is to be congratulated for continuing to push the iPad forward. It would have been easy for the company to rest on its laurels and carry on making tablets in the same way as everyone else, as relatively simple devices with lower performance than PCs.

With the iPad Pro series, Apple is demonstrating that it's determined to create tablets which get ever-closer to laptop performance, and under some circumstances exceed it.

From an enterprise perspective, whether the iPad is right for you depends on your workforce. For anyone in the field, particularly those whose primary application is some kind of SaaS system accessed through a dashboard (Salesforce, Oracle, and so on), giving them an iPad rather than a laptop increases agility, delivers better ease of use and deployment, and they're getting a high-end machine which will make them happier and last between four and five years.

For office-bound workers who spend all day staring at their screens, this iPad is less of a good fit - at least until iOS 11 is released, at which point it may be appropriate for more types of user. For these staff, the laptop is still king of the hill - but with this iPad Pro, Apple has definitely made a much more compelling argument for the tablet as your only business machine.

Verdict

A screen upgrade would have been enough to net the new iPad Pro a perfect score, but the fact that Apple has stuffed in a host of additional upgrades means it's impossible not to recommend it. It's definitely top of the tree, easily the best product in its category and arguably one of the best products all-round that Apple has ever made.

Malware targeting macOS and Android devices has risen sharply in the last year, according to new research from security company Malwarebytes.

Detection rates of Android ransomware in particular has more than doubled over the course of a single quarter, rising by 137% from Q1 to Q2 2017, the study showed. Similarly, more Mac-based malware was detected in Q2 2017 than the whole of last year combined.

Malware on Android is hardly anything new Google's mobile operating system has been plagued by a series of successful, high-profile malware campaigns, including the Gooligan, Stagefright and Judy outbreaks.

The rise of malware targeting Macs has come as a shock to some, however. Apple computers have a reputation for being more secure than Windows machines, leading many to (incorrectly) dub them unhackable'.

"Mac threats are not taken seriously enough in the security community today," said Malwarebytes' director of Mac and mobile, Thomas Reed. "Adware and potentially unwanted programs are becoming a major problem for Mac users. Some very popular apps have been known to carry these threats and despite protections in place, the App Store is not immune to these threats."

"For example, the recent Proton Remote Access Trojan that plagued Mac users fooled many experienced, security-minded people who became infected. This perpetuates a crucial lesson that, despite what many Mac users think, they are not safe even if they are careful about what they download."

In order to combat these rising threats, Malwarebytes has today announced two new products - Malwarebytes for Mac and Malwarebytes for Android.

"Windows devices are no longer the sole victims of damaging malware attacks, as strategic attacks on Android devices are rapidly on the rise," said Armando Orozco, senior mobile malware intelligence analyst at Malwarebytes. "All Android users need to remain alert and proactively guard their identity and data on the go, just as they do on their computers at home."

Microsoft has unveiled the latest addition to its line up of first-party devices: the Surface Laptop.

Revealed by Microsoft's Surface chief Panos Panay at an education-focused event in New York yesterday, the Surface family's newest member is gunning directly for Apple's flagship notebooks.

Panay claimed the device is thinner and lighter than the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro, with better performance and longer battery life than any MacBook currently available.

These impressive claims aredriven by Intel's seventh-generation Kaby Lake chips. The Surface Laptops ship with a Core i5 or Core i7 kaby Lake processor, with up to 16GB of RAM.

Redmond's new device has a 13.5in touchscreen using Microsoft's PixelSense technology, and just like its other devices, the company is touting superb colour accuracy. There's no word on the resolution as yet, but it will be compatible with design-focused accesories like the Surface Dial and Surface Pen.

Unfortunately, the Surface Laptop is running a little light on ports. It features a full-size USB Type-A port, but lacks the much more versatile and increasingly common USB-C. It also uses mini DisplayPort, instead of the much more widespread HDMI connector, which could leave a lot of users high and dry in terms of connections.

Design-wise, the new laptop looks like a hybrid between the Surface Pro 4 and Surface Book, featuring a proper clamshell hinge, but a fabric-covered keyboard reminiscent of the Surface Pro 4's TypeCover.

However, there are some notable red flags that may end up putting both consumers and businesses off Microsoft's new notebook. For starters, the Surface Laptop comes pre-installed with Windows 10 S, the company's new education-focused OS. Anyone wishing to use the full-fat version of Windows 10 will be able to upgrade to Windows 10 Pro for a one-time fee.

The stripped-down operating system can only run Windows Store apps, meaning that users will find themselves unable to use many traditional desktop programs. Microsoft claims that this is to ensure that all the apps are secure and Microsoft-verified, but customers may end up frustrated by the lack of flexibility.

Commentators have also remarked on how expensive the new device is. The Surface Laptop starts at $999, which nets customers a Core i5, with a 128GB SSD and just 4GB of RAM. To get the top spec, which includes 16GB of RAM and a Core i7 processor, you'll have to shell out over $2,000.

The Surface Laptop will start shipping out to US customers on 15 June, but there's currently no word on UK availability. Based on the launch timetables of previous devices though, we can predict that it may take up to six months before the new notebook makes it to the UK.

Pictures courtesy of Microsoft

Worldwide PC shipments have fallen for the fifth year in a row according to Gartner, continuing the industry's seemingly unstoppable decline.

The number of PCs sold in 2016 fell by more than 6% compared to 2015, with a total of just 269.7 million; for context, that's the same as in 2007.

Analysts have blamed the continued slump on a lack of practical innovation within the PC sector, with Gartner's principal analyst Mikako Kitagawa noting that "the broad PC market has been static as technology improvements have not been sufficient to drive real market growth".

"There have been innovative form factors like 2-in-1s and thin and light notebooks," she noted, "as well as technology improvements, such as longer battery life," but pointed out that despite high engagement from pro-sumers, "the market driven by PC enthusiasts is not big enough to drive overall market growth".

Slowdown has also been blamed on an increasing reliance on smartphones, as the gap in capability between mobile and PC narrows. "There is the other side of the PC market, where PCs are infrequently used. Consumers in this segment have high dependency on smartphones, so they stretch PC life cycles longer," Kitagawa said.

While there were certain niche sectors of the market that are still likely to see growth over the next year such as the business and gaming segments she predicted that these areas would not be enough to reverse the decline of the PC market in 2017.

Analysts also warned that the UK was likely to be hit particularly hard by Brexit, with prices expected to rise by up to 10%.

Apple has introduced a 'Report Junk' feature that addresses the spam issue users have encountered in their iCloud calendars, according to 9to5Mac.

Over the past few weeks, Apple users have reported that invites to spam events were randomly appearing on their iCloud calendars.

These spam invites, usually sent from email addresses with Chinese names, were advertising deals on products such as Ray-Ban sunglasses or Ugg boots.

This issue originated from spam emails, as Apple's devices automatically scanned users' inboxes and notified them of calendar invitations present inside.

Users were therefore notified of these invites promoting sales, present within spam emails that had made their way into their inbox.

The new 'Report Junk' option can currently only be accessed through the iCloud calendar web app, but according to 9to5Mac, Apple might extend this feature to both iOS and Mac-based Calendar apps in upcoming updates.

Users who wish to delete and report a spam invite can go to iCloud.com, log in using their Apple ID, click on the invite in question and flag it by clicking Report Junk.

The option is only available for calendar invites from senders who are not within a user's contact list.

01/12/2016: Apple apologises for calendar spam

Apple has apologised for an issue with its Calendar app that led to iCloud users being spammed with events related to supposed Black Friday deals on products such as Ray-Ban glasses, Uggs Boots or Pandora bracelets.

The issue originated from spam emails, as Apple's iOS and MacOS operating systems scan users' inboxes and notify them of any calendar invitations.

The idea behind the feature is that users will automatically have events mentioned in emails noted down on their calendar, but in this case spam messages advertising sales of counterfeit consumer products have also been automatically generating invitations.

Some users also received spam invitations to edit reminders or view photo groups.

In a statement sent to Rene Ritchie, editorial director of the news blog iMore, Apple wrote: "We are sorry that some of our users are receiving spam calendar invitations. We are actively working to address this issue by identifying and blocking suspicious senders and spam in the invites being sent."

There is currently no way of only blocking these specific messages on iOS and MacOS, but users can get rid of them by blocking automatic in-app Calendar notifications.

How to get rid of spam calendar events notifications 1. Go to iCloud.com and login to your account2. Go to the calendar section3. Click on the cog button on the bottom left corner and then on Advanced4. Change Invitations from 'In-app notifications' to 'Email to..'

This will ensure you receive calendar invites as emails other than notifications within the Calendar app.

Apple has launched two new MacBook Pros, a 13in and 15in, which are on sale in the UK now. The big new feature is the touchbar, which has replaced the function buttons, but battery life and graphics capabilities have also been increased, as has memory capacity.

Here we round up everything you need to know about the new MacBook Pro 2016.

MacBook Pro 2016 at a glance

• New MacBook Pro is on sale in the UK now
• Three options, 13in MacBook Pro, 13in MacBook Pro with Touch Bar and 15in MacBook Pro with Touch Bar
• Intel core i7 processor on 15in version, core i5 on 13in
• 15in MacBook Pro has up to 2TB storage, 13in MacBook Pro has up to 1TB storage
• 13in Touch Bar MacBook Pro UK price from 1,749
• 15in Touch Bar MacBook Pro UK price from 2,349

Apple MacBook Pro 2016 news

07/11/2016: Apple released its new MacBook Pro earlier this month, with some changes in its basic design and the introduction of a USB-C port.

The company faced criticisms due to this latter new feature, particularly due to the need for most users to buy adapters and carry them around, as the new port is not yet widely used.

While the previous MacBook Pro had a variety of ports, such as USB type-A, HDMI, and Thunderbolt 2 ports as well as an SD card slot, the new model only offers users the USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 ports, meaning that users will have to buy adapters to use existing peripherals.

This has led to an outcry from disgruntled users and has forced Apple to drop the price of USB-C adapters, to stem the flow of criticisms and encourage customers to purchase the new MacBook Pro.

The prices of adapters have been dropped by up to half price, while third-party peripherals such as the 4K and 5K LG screens introduced last month, have seen a 25% drop, while SanDisk's SD card reader has seen a 40% price cut.

The new ports are not the only complaint relative to the new MacBook, which some users claimed is underpowered and has too little RAM (16GB).

Apple said in a statement: "We recognise that many users, especially pros, rely on legacy connectors to get work done today and they face a transition. We want to help them move to the latest technology and peripherals, as well as accelerate the growth of this new ecosystem. Through the end of the year, we are reducing prices on all USB-C and Thunderbolt 3 peripherals we sell, as well as the prices on Apple's USB-C adapters and cables."

The new MacBook Pro was launched at an Apple event called "Hello Again", which took place on Thursday 27 October.

31/10/2016: The classic Mac startup chime, which has been a feature of both dasktop and laptop Apple Macs for over 30 years, has been removed on the new MacBook Pros.

The chime is an indicator to the user that the computer has finished its initial hardware and software diagnostic tests successfully and is starting up. However, website Pingie first noted that it is missing from the latest MacBook Pros.

But, where one feature dies a new one is born. In this case, the MacBook Pros will start up upon opening the device's lid, whether or not it's connected to a power source. It will also start up when it's connected to a power adaptor either if the lid's open or if it's connected to an external display.

All three MacBook Pros 13in, 13in with Touch Bar and 15in with Touch Bar are available to buy immediately from 1,449.

Apple Hello Again: Live Blog

19:25: Out now!

Cook finishes up by saying that the MacBook Pro is out now!

Apple's releasing three models; a 13in Pro with no Touch Bar, and a 13in and 15in with the Touch Bar.

The non-Touch Bar model is available from Saturday, and the other two ship in three to four weeks, according to Apple's UK site.

Here's the UK pricing: 13in MacBook Pro (without Touch Bar) 1,449; 13in MacBook Pro 1,749; 15in MacBook Pro 2,349

And with that, the event is over. Thanks for following our live blog!

19:16: 10 hours battery life

Both the MacBook Pro 13in and 15in models have up to 10 hours of battery life, according to Phil Schiller. It's also 6.8 million times faster than the original Pro, he points out - it can do a year of the 25-year-old golden oldie's computing in less than five seconds.

18:52: 67% brighter MacBook Pro

The new MacBook Pro is 67% brighter and offers 67% higher contrast ratio than its predecessor, while offering 25% more colours.

Its SSD storage is 50% faster, and holds up to 2TB.

18:40: Apple scraps function keys for OLED Touch Bar

It adapts to the software you're using, for instance, letting you straighten photos, or offering a search bar when you land on a website.

It also comes up with typing suggestions:

18:40: New MacBook Pro

Here it is:

It comes in two models - 13in and 15in, and boasts a ForceTouch trackpad that's two times larger than previous generations.

18:30: MacBook 25th anniversary

This week amrks the 25th anniversary of Apple's first notebook - the Power Book.

Wanna have a look? Oh go on then...

18:28: Search Mac files with Siri

On MacOS Sierra, you can search for files with Siri, Cook reminds us.

18:23: Siri voice commands

Siri on Apple TV is getting better, too: it can understand questions like 'what other football games are on?' and will know what show to bring up if you say 'let's watch the Louisville game'.

18:16: Apple TV

"The future of TV is apps," says Cook, boasting Apple now has 8,000 TV apps.

But even more important is, Cook wants it to be the one place to discover TV shows and watch anything.

To do that, it's announcing a new app caled 'TV' (er, Tim, I think that one's been taken).

In TV's Watch Now, ou can browse by category - TV shows, movies, and more. It looks like Apple wants TV to be the new Netflix.

It lets you download iTunes movies or head to the Store for more content.

18:11: Apple Watch Nike Plus

Cook says the Nike version of the Watch 2 comes out tomorrow, which is great for sporty types (I wouldn't know).

18:05: Updates

Tim Cook starts out by detailing some new updates, beginning with the iPhone.

He says the "customer response has been very strong" to the iPhone 7 - important, considering Apple just experienced its first decline in 15 years.

Memories

A new feature on the iPhone 7 will pull out new photos everyday from your collection to remind you of cool memories, says Cook.

iOS 10

Cook says 60% of iPhone users are now on iOS 10, as compared to 1% of Android users on Nougat...

18:04: And here's Tim Cook! He says he spots "a few iPhones out there" in the audience.

17.57: After an accidental leak, Apple rather gave the game away yesterday when it posted images of its new MacBook Pro, all but confirming it will feature an OLED bar above the keyboard that replaces its normal function keys.

It's also very likely to feature Touch ID and will replace the USB port with a USB Type-C.

But we're about to find out a lot more... stay tuned!

Apple seems to have accidentally leaked pictures of its newest Macbook Pro, confirming that the laptop update will be announced later today.

The images were released on MacRumours and appear to have been inadvertently added to a page about Apple's latest operating system.

The pictures show the new Macbook Pro's keyboard, with an additional panel that seemingly replaces the physical function keys on a standard keyboard.

It would also include a fingerprint sensor - presumably so people can log into the computer without a username and password - and a touchpad that suggests it would use gestures or sweeps as is the case with the touchpad rather than keys to carry out actions such as lightening the screen, turning the volume up and down or controlling music with iTunes.

Although there's some speculation that Apple may have released the pictures on purpose to promote its new line on Macbook Pros, one analyst doubts this is the case with the Macbook Pro.

"The leaks are massively damaging as these companies want to have their 'wow moments' when products are unveiled, and an explosion of media coverage, rather than a more tepid response because the details are known in advance," said Ben Wood from CCS Insight told the BBC.

"But it seems to have become virtually impossible for any large company to keep new tech products under wraps."

24/10/2016: Hello Again: iMac won't launch at Apple Event

Apple' is expected to present its new series of Macbooks at an event on Thursday, 27 October.

Ming-Chi Kuo, of KGI Securities analyst, predicts that at Thursday's "Hello Again" event, Apple will introduce its new MacBook series, but not the new iMac, according to MacRumors.

Kuo's report suggested Apple will present a redesigned MacBook Pro and a 13-inch MacBook, which could be a MacBook Air.

He also believes Apple will place Intel's Skylake processor on Apple's MacBook Pro, as well as an oxide panel that ensures better display quality and energy efficiency.

The new MacBook series should also come with substantial changes in design, including an OLED touch bar, Touch ID sensor and the substitution of a traditional USB port with a USB-C port. According to the analyst, Apple could include a Type-C and MagSafe-like adapter.

Although Thursday could be the time at which Apple releases new MacBook models, iMacs might not be included in the event.

Although Apple is developing iMacs and Cinema Display, their shipping schedule is not imminent, hence Kuo is uncertain whether these products will be introduced this week.

The analyst believes interested users might have to wait until the first half of 2017 for these devices to be announced.

20/10/2016: Apple sends out invites for possible MacBook Pro launch

Apple's colourful invite to the upcoming Cupertino event on 27 October, sent out to press on Wednesday, may suggest something more significant than it first appears.

The word "Hello" has become a significant call sign for Apple since the release of the original Apple II in 1977. The 'hello' program was a feature on Apple DOS 3.1, which would automatically launch on boot and allow for program selection if the disk contained more than one title.

Fast forward to 1984, the cursive "Hello" featured in marketing materials, painted across the black and white screen of the Macintosh 128k. It was not until the release of the iMac that saw the use of 'Hello, (again)' featured once more in marketing campaigns, evoking nostalgia of the original Macintosh.

Importantly, Apple, who is particularly savvy when it comes to marketing, has used the word 'Hello' during significant shifts of company focus. With the recent press invite, users are once again expecting something big at the event in Cupertino.

Rumours are suggesting we will get to see the new MacBook Pro, but it may feature some significant changes, including a shift to USB-C and the scrapping of physical function keys above the keyboard in favour of an OLED touch bar.

Whatever Apple has planned, it is certainly creating some excitment.

19/10/16: Apple may launch a new MacBook Pro at a Cupertino event on 27 October, according to Recode, but another model pegged for release further in the future might not feature a USB port.

The new laptop to be unveiled later this month is rumoured to include an OLED touch bar above its keyboard, replacing the existing physical keys there.

It will be thinner and lighter, with Touch ID support to unlock the laptop with a fingerprint, according to 9To5Mac.

It may also swap traditional USB ports for USB Type-C ports. This is a smaller USB plug that could make the new MacBook thinner and easier to carry.

The OLED bar's functions could change according to what the user is currently using the laptop for, hence making the next MacBook Pro even more user friendly.

These drastic changes would come in the same year in which the company introduced the EarPods, headphones that work with the iPhone 7 by connecting through the Lightning port, removing the traditional headphone jack.

Apple might present a new MacBook Air and iPad Pro at the same event, and if so, it would come one day after an event at which Microsoft is expected to be introducing updated versions of its Surface Book and Surface Pro 4.

Apple has raised the prices of its laptop range up by as much as 45% following Brexit, a move that could damage its push into the enterprise.

The tech giant released three new MacBook Pros at its Cupertino headquarters yesterday, with the latest 13in and 15in notebooks featuring an OLED Touch Bar that lets users customise function keys and Touch ID for more secure logins.

Another 13in model, without Touch Bar, but with 2.7GHz and 128GB storage, costs 1,249 - a 25% price hike over the equivalent 2015 model, which was priced at 999.

The 13in Pro featuring a Touch Bar, 2.9GHz and 256GB costs 1,749 - 45% more than the equivalent 1,199 model released in 2015. Meanwhile the most expensive 15in Pro, featuring 2.7GHz and 512GB, costs 2,699, a 35% hike on its 2015 equivalent's 1,999 price tag.

Sterling's current ratio to the dollar is 1 to $1.22, making a 22% rise in prices understandable indeed, many other tech companies have already increased prices but it's also possible Apple is proofing its new flagship laptops against any further devaluation in the British pound.

Elsewhere, 20% price rises have hit the Mac Mini - going from 399 on Wednesday to 479 yesterday, according to the Telegraph.

The 13in MacBookAir's price rose from 849 on 23 October, to 949 today, IT Pro has confirmed.

IT Pro has asked Apple why it is raising its UK prices, but has not yet received a reply.

The move is likely to harm Apple's efforts to position its already premium devices as enterprise IT contenders.

The tech giant has built a $25 billion B2B empire on the back of its ubiquitous iPhone and its popular MacBooks through partnerships with software vendors like IBM and Box.

ButIT directors expect their spending budgets to decrease by around 5% year-on-year in 2017, according toa Spiceworks survey, raising questions over businesses' buying power for high-end equipment.

One CIO told our sister site, Alphr, that the latest price hike has cost Apple 100,000 in IT spend he now plans to take elsewhere.

Other companies including Microsoft, Dell and Intel are all raising their costs too, however, with Azure prices due to rise 22% in January 2017, and on-premise software up by 13%.

Apple is expected to hold its next Special Event on 7 September, with the launch of the iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus, Apple Watch 2, new MacPro, new iPod Touch, MacMini and new MacBook all possibly making an appearance.

Here we round up all the latest news and rumours about Apple's 7 September Special Event. Be sure to come back from 5.30pm UK time, when we will be running a live blog of the main announcements right here.

Please manually refresh this page for the latest on our live blog of Apple's Special Event

Apple September Event at a glance

• The Apple event starts tonight, 7 September, at 6.00pm UK time
• iPhone 7, iPhone 7 Plus and Apple Watch 2 all expected to launch
• iOS 10, macOS Sierra and WatchOS3 all expected to release
• Live blog available here from 5.30pm with all the news from the event

Apple Special Event live blog

20:20: That's all, folks

So just to wrap up - we have two new iPhones, the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus, boasting battery, camera and memory upgrades.

We also have an Apple Watch 2 that will soon have Pokmon Go and Super Mario Run to play on it.

The devices will use iOS 10 and WatchOS 3respectively - check out our hubs in these links to get more details on each of these!

Thanks for staying with us, and enjoy the rest of your day!

20:00:iPhone 7 price and release date

Here it is, what we've all been waiting for - how much is it and when can we buy it? First of all, both the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus are available in three sizes - 32GB, 128GB and 256GB.

Both models are available for pre-order from 9 September, and widely available from 16 September in the below countries (UK and US included):

The 7 and 7 Plus are available in Silver, Gold, Rose Gold, Black and Jet Black. The US price for the 7 is $649, and the 7 Plus will cost $769.

In the UK, the iPhone 7 will cost 599, and the 7 Plus will cost 719. So far both Vodafone and Three have confirmed they can offer the flagship iPhones.

19:53: Battery specs

The iPhone 7's new battery stats aren't bad at all, but the 7 Plus's are better. At 60 hours, it's the longest battery life ever on an iPhone, the tech giant boasts. We'll have to put those claims to the test in our review, of course, but that's two more hours than the 6s and one hour more than the 6s Plus.

19:50: iPhone 7's revolutionary A10 chip

The iPhone is running on a new A10 chip, which Apple claims is 40% faster than the 6s's A9 processor, boasting four cores and 3.3 billion transistors. It's also twice as fast as the A8.

19:31: iPhone AirPods and EarPods: Apple confirms it's killed the headphone jack

Apple finally comes clean and confesses it's done away with the beloved headphone jack. It's gone, wave goodbye.

It's replacing the jack - as expected - with the Lightning port, and will ship Lightning EarPods with every copy of the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus. For people who have headphones they love, don't worry - Apple will also ship an adaptor that will connect your headphones to the Lightning Port.

However, you can also use Apple's AirPods to listen to your music wirelessly. These headphones run on a new W1 chip that uses infra-red to detect when they are in your ears, and will only play when they're snug inside your lugs.

You can also access Siri with a quick double tap on the AirPods - something very reminiscent of AI movie Her.

19:25:iPhone 7 and 7 Plus display

Apple show us the iPhone 7's display - it's 25% brighter than the 6s, rendering it to a "cinema standard" of quality. It also boasts 3D Touch, which has surpassed the Force Touch technology on previous models.

With 3D Touch, the iPhone 7 can register a wider range of pressure, and Apple says iOS 10 will introduce new features (and, most likely, apps) that take advantage of this improved sensor.

19:15:The iPhone 7's camera looks fantastic - really impressive. Apple reckons it has three-times longer exposure, and the lens receives 50% more light onto the sensor. Its high speed, 12 megapixel sensor is 60% faster than the 6s's, too.

The camera's brains is an image signal processor, which identifies people and objects in a photo (relying on machine learning to do so), sets the white balance and also records wide colour - meaning the range of colours it can replicate is much vaster.

Onto the iPhone 7 Plus's camera: It actually has two. One is a wide-angle megapixel camera, and the other a telephoto megapixel camera. This means the 7 Plus can zoom up to 10x and still retain a high level of focus and image quality.

19:05: It's time for the iPhone 7! Here's what it looks like:

Importantly, designer Jony Ive confirms the antenna bands on the phone are now hidden within the casing, effectively making them disappear - this will be very popular.

Apple also introduces two new colours - Jet Black and Black - and the new model is now water and dust resistant.

Taptic engine

Apple's taptic engine is more responsive than ever, distinguishing between various notifications to vibrate differently:

18:54:It's confirmed - Apple Watch 2 is available for pre-orders from 9 September. It'll hit the shops on 16 September. Watch OS3, its operating system, is available from 13 September for download. A special Nike version of the Watch 2 will come out in October.

18:42:Now to the Apple Watch 2 - Apple's confirmed the device has built-in GPS, meaning you can go for a run without taking your iPhone. This is a big feature that should make the Watch 2 much more attractive as a sports wearable.

A new app, ViewRanger, will be the first app (for hiking) to take advantage of the GPS.

Onto ranges - the Watch 2 comes in aluminium, stainless steel, and erm, ceramic. This is what it looks like.

The others are a bit more normal:

18:39:The Watch version one was splash proof, but the new one is swim-proof - Apple's tested Watches by attaching them to a revolving arm that simulates strokes for hours every day, and says they still work just fine. Mind you, you might not want to put that to the test after you've coughed up a few hundred quid for a Watch 2.

Watch 2's display is twice as bright as any previous display, Apple also claims.

18:22: Now Apple's talking about the Apple Watch. It's the top selling smartwatch, and the second-best selling watch, after Rolex, Cook boasts.

But watchOS 3 is really impressive - your favourite apps launch instantly, you can add them to the Dock, and even just swipe to change your Watch face. You can jot custom replies with Scribble and a Breathe app reminds you daily about deep breathing exercises.

But the big news is that Pokmon Go is available on the Apple Watch! It'll be available before the end of 2016. Here's what it looks like:

Interestingly, Go developer Niantic's CEO, John Hanke, comes on stage and refers to Pokmon Go Plus, a "heads-up display" that helps you see Pokmon in front of you - rather than staring at your iPhone. That's all the detail we have on that for now, though.

18:06:Tim Cook starts the Special Event by doing carpool karaoke with James Corden. Yes, you read that right. Here's them in action:

Now Tim Cook's on stage with an update about Apple Music - it now has 17 million subscribers.

Another update on the App Store, Cook says it's changed software and our lives, but momentum now has never been greater, with 140 billion apps now downloaded. "In the last two months we've seen growth rates of over 100% year-on-year," boasts Cook. It's also garnered twice the revenue of its closest competitor, and 500,000 gaming apps (pictured).

But the biggest early news is... Mario is coming to iOS! Super Mario Run is in action below, and will come out in time for Christmas 2016.

17:50:But what else can we look forward to?

Picture courtesy of sister site Alphr

Well, quite a few things, actually. The Apple Watch 2 is heavily rumoured to get an airing tonight, and promises some major upgrades on the first model.

For one thing, it could have its own GPS system, meaning you won't need to tie it to your iPhone anymore. It should also come with a boosted battery life too, making it a much more independent device than its predecessor.

There's also iOS 10. The latest mobile operating system will run on the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus, and one major advantage of this is it's not susceptible to the devastating hack discovered earlier this month, where cybercriminals can spy on all your messages. Apple's already patched the issue, but not everyone downloaded the fix. With iOS 10, you won't need to.

Here's what else the team at IT Pro would like to see Apple announce tonight, but stay tuned and refresh this page every 10 minutes to find out all the latest coming from the tech giant's San Francisco event.

We're now just 10 minutes away from the start...

17:30:Welcome to our Apple Special Event live blog!

It promises to be quite a show tonight. Thanks to Apple's Hong Kong store accidentally listing them on its website, we know for certain the iPhone 7 and 7 Plus will make an appearance this evening.

The big question is will the new flagship iPhone be good enough to turn around Apple's fortunes?

The tech giant has come under plenty of pressure recently, battling a 13 billion tax bill in Ireland, but also combatting falling revenues and profits.

After record success thanks to the iPhone 6, Apple has been on a downward slope. Analysts call it peak iPhone', where the device has reached saturation point, and new versions don't improve enough on their predecessors to warrant an upgrade, leading to a 27% dent in profits.

However, it could all change with the iPhone 7. One survey suggests half of iPhone owners plan to upgrade to the new smartphone, and Apple will certainly look to capitalise on Samsung's disastrous Note 7 release, with reports of the device exploding forcing Apple's rival to officially recall and exchange devices.

07/09/2016:Apple has just given the game away about the iPhone 7 and the iPhone 7 Plus in the most embarrassing way possible.

Reddit user Jasper Greenham spotted both the 7 and 7 Plus online in Apple's Hong Kong store today, virtually confirming their appearance at tonight's Special Event.

Greenham's screenshot, below, also confirmed that the headphone jack on both devices is definitely dead.

As has been much-rumoured ahead of the iPhone 7's launch, neither of the latest devices will feature a 3.5mm headphone jack.

Instead, the store shows a variety of headphones you can buy for the iPhone, and lists the connection types as Bluetooth, wireless, and AirPlay only.

The iPhone 7 is expected to launch this Friday after its official unveiling this evening, in storage versions of 32GB, 128GB and 256GB.

When is the Apple Special Event?

Apple has confirmed its 2016 Special Event will be taking place on 7 September. In past years, the Special Event keynote has been used to launch the lates flagship iPhone, which this year is expected to be the iPhone 7. It has also previously featured the launch of the new Apple Watch, new MacBook and new iPads.

Reliable leaker Evan Blass has stated the iPhone 7, which is widely expected to be the flagship launch of the autumn event, will be on sale in shops on 16 September, one week after the 7 September Special Event.

This would more or less fit in with the known timeline now that the date of the Special Event has been confirmed. Typically, Apple's launch event for the new iPhone has occured one week before the device becomes available for pre-order and about two weeks before it hits the shelves.

If Blass's information is correct, this would mean Apple has condensed its timetable by a week or more. Alternatively, his source is mistaken and it is preorders that will open on 16 September, rather than general retail sales.

How to watch the Apple Special Event

Apple likes people who like Apple, which is why its live streams have always been largely focused on adressing those who have already bought into the brand. Historically, only Apple device users have been able to watch the live stream, but this year Windows 10 users can watch it too. Here's all the different ways you can watch:

How to watch the Apple Event on a laptop or desktop PC

If you have an iMac or a MacBook, you can watch the event live by following this link to Apple's dedicated page, but you must be using the computer's built-in Safari browser. Other browsers will not work.

On Windows 10 laptops and PCs, you can follow the same link and watch live, but you must be using the built in Edge browser. Once again, other browsers will not work.

How to watch the Apple Event on a smartphone or tablet

If you have an iPhone, iPad or, indeed, iPod running iOS 7 or higher, you can watch the live stream on Safari by following this link.

Unfortunately, there's no way for Android devices (or any other non-iOS device for that matter) to access the live stream.

How to watch the Apple Event on TV

If you have an Apple TV, you can watch Cook and Co's presentations on the big screen. Make sure your Apple TV is on TVOS 6.2 or newer (fourth generation Apple TVs will work automatically) and navigate to the "Apple Events" icon on the home screen. Please note that the icon may not show up until later this evening, closer to the 6.00pm start time.

If you can't do any of the above, don't fret!IT Pro's deputy editor, Joe Curtis, will be on hand right here with a live blog of all the evening's key announcements, while features editor Jane McCallion will be live tweetingtoo. Be sure to tune in from 5.30pm tonight!

Apple September Special Event: iPhone 7

The iPhone 7 launch is the most likely thing to happen at the Special Event. This year, there could be up to three handsets launched, although the smart money seems to be on two for now, with more colour options available and all of them featuring a more powerful camera.

Aside from tradition, another indicator that the iPhone 7 will be coming this September is the beta release of iOS 10, with the general release promised in autumn this year. Typically the new version of the mobile operating system is released alongside - and preloaded on - the next generation iPhone.

Click here to visit our dedicated iPhone 7 page.

Apple September Special Event: Apple Watch 2

The Apple Watch 2 is also expected to launch at the special event, with up to five versions going on sale.

While the release of the original Apple Watch took place in April 2015, the latest release of a new model - the Apple Watch Herms - took place in September 2015, with only new bands having made an appearance so far this year, in March, at the same time as the iPhone SE was revealed.

Another indicator that Apple Watch 2 will launch at the Special Event is the arrival of watchOS 3 at WWDC in June, which is currently in private beta, with Apple saying it will become generally available in the autumn. This is normally the pattern for iOS and iPhone as well, with the OS becoming available as a beta at WWDC and general release coming alongside the release of the flagship phone (see above).

The final hint that the Apple Watch 2 may make an appearance is the event invitation itself, which could be interpreted as being made up of several of the Apple Watch's circular home screen icons (at least that's what some of us atIT Pro see...)

Click here to visit our dedicated Apple Watch 2 page

Apple September Special Event: iMacs and MacPro

There hasn't been a new version of the powerful Mac Pro, Apple's cylindrical stand-alone computer, since it launched in December 2013 - more than 900 days ago. This is double the average period between refreshes, according to MacRumors - 449 days - although this has been steadily lengthening over time. While this isn't bulletproof evidence of a new Mac Pro being released this year, it has almost got to a now-or-never stage.

Apple September Special Event: MacBooks

There are two devices that can be ruled out almost immediately with regard to this year's potential new Apple laptops: the MacBook and the MacBook Air.

The reason we doubt there will be a new MacBook at the September event is that the latest refresh only occurred in April this year, making the earliest date Apple is likely to release a third generation device April 2017.

As for the MacBook Air, its standout feature - the fact it weighs so little - has been surpassed by the MacBook, which weighs 0.92kg compared to the smallest Air, which weighs 1.08kg. Therefore, while nothing official has been said, we suspect the MacBook Air has, in fact, been retired.

The MacBook Pro, however, is due for an update, so, unlike the other two, may make an appearance in September.

Apple September Special Event: iPads and iPods

When it comes to iPads, there's one perennial question - will the iPad Air 3 ever make an appearance? Or has it been superseded by the iPad Pro?

While you can never say never, it does seem likely that the latter is correct. While the original 12.9in iPad Pro was significantly heavier (and generally bigger) than the iPad Air 2, the 9.7in iPad Pro has exactly the same dimensions and weight.

As for the iPad Mini, it normally receives some kind of refresh each autumn, so it is possible an iPad Mini 5 may arrive at the September Special Event, as may a new iPod Touch, which has an annual autumn refresh too.

Following the release of its 12in retina Macbook in 2015, Apple is through to working on next versions of its MacBook Pro to be released in late 2016.

In this article we will be rounding up news, rumours about the 2016 MacBook Pros.

MacBook Pro news

15/06/2016: Apple's next MacBook Pros could be fitted with an OLED touch bars, new details suggest.

Last month, rumours emerged that Apple's is planning major revamp of its Macbook Pros, and may include, of all things, an OLED touch bar above the keyboard. It has already made for some stylish-looking concepts.

Now, code in the new masOS Sierra appears to corroborate those rumours further, as French site Mac Generation (translated by 9to5 Mac) reports.

Several new options are prefaced by the term "kHIDUsage_LED".

Among them is "kHIDUsage_LED_DoNotDisturb" an option that appears to suggest a dedicated LED Do Not Disturb button. The Do Not Disturb button can already be accessed via the Mac's notification settings, but having quick access to this function on an OLED display would make sense.

As well as this, other toggling options point to a camera on/off switch, caps lock, night mode, play and pause, rewind and fast forward, and data mode.

The OS also makes reference to biometric input methods, backing up another earlier rumour that a Touch ID fingerprint sensor would be coming to the new MacBooks.

Simply because the functions currently exist in the code does not confirm hardware is on the way. Although, previous discoveries have come true. In 2013, resources in the iOS 7 beta pointed to a biometric sensor for the next iPhone, which was realised months later with Touch ID in the iPhone 5s.

Having not been announced at Apple's WWDC 2016 briefing this week, the earliest we are likely to hear about Apple's shake up its MacBook line is in September, during its iPhone announcement.

13/06/2016: Concept renders show what new MacBook Pro could look like

Rumours have suggested that Apple will be using its keynote at WWDClater today to announce updates to certain members of its MacBook range, and thanks to graphic designer Martin Hajek, we now have an idea what they could end up looking like.

Back in 2015, Apple took the wraps off its reimagined, redesigned 12in MacBook. The result was a stunning ultraportable, with an all-metal chassis and the slimmest, lightest dimensions ever seen on an Apple notebook.

Apple is now expected to refresh its larger MacBook models - possibly including members of the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air families - to incorporate these design values.

Martin Hajek (also known as @deplaatjesmaker) has produced 3D concept renders of the what a new 15in MacBook Pro might look like, based on the visual design of the 12in MacBook.

For the purposes of comparison, Hajek has pictured the new MacBook Pro next to the current Retina MacBook Pro, as well as the redesigned 12in MacBook.

Like the new MacBook, many of the ports on Hajek's MacBook Pro have been replaced with multifunctional USB-C ports, including the charging, Thunderbolt and USB ports.

However, while the 12in MacBook has only one USB-C port - meaning you'll need a splitter if you want to connect a USB drive and charge your device simultaneously - Hajek's updated MacBook Pro has a comparatively generous four.

Hajek has also opted to keep the 3.5mm headphone jack and an SD card reader, neither of which the 12in MacBook has.

While Hajek's renders are essentially speculation at this point, an updated MacBook Pro is a strong possibility, and will more than likely end up looking not dissimilar to these images.

We'll know more after Apple's WWDC keynote address, which you can read more about here.

Latest news:

19/04/2016: Apple has updated its 12in MacBook with a 2016 iteration boasting 12th generation Intel processors and up to 10 hours of battery life.

Available in rose gold as well as the traditional silver, gold and space gray, the new 12in MacBook will measure 13.1mm in thickness, and weigh just 2lbs.

Its 12in Retina display boasts a resolution of 2304 x 1440 pixels, while its trackpad will incorporate Force Touch, which monitors the pressure you place on the trackpad to give you better control over the computer.

Coming in two price ranges, the $1,299 12in MacBook will boast a 1.1GHz dual-core Intel Core m3 processor, while the $1,599 version will come with a 1.2GHz dual-core Intel Core m5 processor. Storage comes in two sizes - 256GB flash and 512GB flash respectively.

The new MacBook will also ship with 8GB of onboard memory.

08/02/2016: The latest rumours say that Apple will launch revamped 12in MacBooks with the latest Skylake processors from Intel. The new Core m3, m5 and m7 processors are the successors to the original Broadwell-class Core m used in the MacBook reviewed here, so we'd expect Apple to adopt them. MacBooks allegedly equipped with these new Core m processors are rumoured to appear at an Apple launch on March 15th which makes sense as this would be almost a year after this laptop was first announced.

Apple is no stranger to jettisoning what it sees as old and outdated technologies in favour of newer, more efficient ones. From abandoning floppies in favour of USB in the original iMac to jettisoning PCI-Express slots in favour of Thunderbolt 2 in the current Mac Pro, Apple isn't afraid to leave the past behind even if its customers are more reticent. Apple has done it again with its latest ultra portable laptop, the 12in MacBook Retina.

Apple MacBook Retina 12in review: USB-C

Aside from a headset jack, this laptop has just one port a completely new type of USB port. USB 3.1 Gen 1 has the same speed as USB 3.0 (5Gbit/s, although Gen 2 will raise this to 10Gbit/s), but what it lacks in speed improvements it more than makes up for in increased versatility.

USB 3.1 Gen 1 has a new smaller connector, Type C, which is reversible so it doesn't matter which way up you plug it in. Plus it's the same connector at both ends of the cable, so it doesn't matter which end you plug in either. These sound like small improvements, but we've seen plenty of confused users fumbling around with their USB cables. USB 3.1 Gen 1 can also natively handle video output so, with adapters, it can be used to connect monitors, projectors and TVs without impacting on processor performance as with older versions of USB.

Of course, the Type C connector means you'll need adapters to use existing USB peripherals and displays. If you still rely on Ethernet, you'll need an adapter for that too. Plus, as there's only one port, you'll need a multiport adapter or hub to connect multiple devices simultaneously. Apple's vision is that you won't need to do this often, if at all, as you'll use wireless peripherals and, in the case of storage and storage-hogging software, the cloud.

A standard USB 3.0 Type-A connector (left) compared to a USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C connector (right).

It's a compelling vision, but not practical for everyone. Cloud-related compliance issues aside, even if you're willing to undertake the expense of deploying wireless peripherals in your office, you'll have to make sure they're properly secured. On top of that, you'll still need a gaggle of adapters for use in the outside world. Sadly, USB Type C isn't magnetised like the MagSafe charging connectors on other MacBooks, so there's a greater chance that someone tripping over the charging cable will send the laptop crashing to the ground.

Apple MacBook Retina 12in review: weight and build

This dramatic reduction in the number and type of ports has allowed Apple to make the 12in MacBook remarkably lighter and slimmer than any other laptop we've seen 12in or otherwise. It's around the same thickness as three copies of Time magazine stacked on top of each other and weighs just 920g. This makes it almost effortless to tote around. Despite its svelteness, the metal casing is just as rigid and robust as we've come to expect from a MacBook. Like the iPhone 6 and iPad Air 2, the MacBook is available in grey, silver and gold with the latter far less garish than we expected.

However, like most of Apple's other Macs, serviceability and upgradeability are non-existent. The memory chips are soldered into place, while the proprietary connector on the SSD makes it difficult and costly to replace or upgrade yourself.

Apple MacBook Retina 12in review: performance and battery life

Despite the MacBook's slenderness, Apple has squeezed in a huge battery made possible in part by the Core M processor and its smaller-than-usual motherboard. The battery lasted 14 hours and 26 minutes in our light usage test and six hours and 52 minutes in our more strenuous YouTube playback test. Only the 13in MacBook Air and 13in MacBook Pro Retina last longer no Windows ultraportable we've seen can match it.

This exceptional battery life is also due, in large part, to the power efficient Broadwell-based Core M processor. The trade-off is performance. While the 1.1GHz dual core 5Y70 is more than fast enough for office tasks, JPEG editing and light HD video work since it can Turbo Boost to 2.6GHz and is paired with 8GB of memory, it's not ideal for anything more demanding. In our video editing and multitasking benchmarks, it was only around a third the speed of our reference PC with a Core i5 3570K desktop processor.

Apple MacBook Retina 12in review: keyboard and touchpad

One consequence of the MacBook's incredibly thin profile is its dramatically redesigned keyboard. As there's less space for the key switches, the keys have far less travel than almost any laptop keyboard we've ever used. We thought we would find this hatefully awkward, but to our surprise we found typing fast, accurate and very comfortable indeed. This is because the keys give plenty of feedback when pressed as well as a satisfying clicky sound. The keyboard still takes getting used to we found we had to type with less force or risk arm ache, for example but it's quick to acclimatise too. The only real annoyance we encountered was the up and down cursor keys, which are smaller than the others and therefore hard to tell apart when touch typing.

The MacBook's touchpad is large, accurate and responsive. What sets it apart even more from the touchpads on Windows laptops is its Force Touch pressure sensitivity feature, something which it shares with the MacBook Pro Retina laptops. Pressing down harder on the touchpad causes different things to happen, depending on which program you're using and the context. Doing this in Safari while a word is highlighted will show you a definition for that word, while force clicking on a meeting attendee in Apple's Calendar app will show you the contact details for that person.

We don't find any of Apple's uses for Force Touch to be particularly compelling most simply replicate what can achieved more easily in a right-click menu. The Force Touch touchpad does have another trick up its sleeve though. It can give you feedback by vibrating gently, which feels like a gentle tapping against your fingers, although the number of programs that currently support this are very limited. One clever third-party app that combines both of these unique touchpad features is Inklet which lets you use the touchpad as a basic graphics tablet.

Apple MacBook Retina 12in review: Retina screen

We had no complaints about the 12in screen. Although it has a resolution of 2304x1440 pixels, you see the same amount of text as you would on a 1280x800 screen. The extra pixels are instead used to render text very sharply so much so that they look like print. You can change the resolution to 1440x900 pixels giving you extra working space, but at the expense of making everything illegibly tiny. Regardless, image quality was top-notch with eye-watering brightness as well as good colour accuracy and contrast.

Apple MacBook Retina 12in review: conclusions

Apple's 12in Retina MacBook is a stunning ultra-portable laptop. Its sturdiness, battery life, screen quality and touchpad are rivalled only by Apple's other laptops. If portability is absolutely paramount, then the MacBook's light weight and battery life make it a superb choice, but its unique one-port configuration and reliance on wireless peripherals may make it challenging to fit into how you work at least in the short to medium term. It's a great buy, but misses out on an Editor's Choice award.

This review was first published on 26/05/2015 and has since been updated, most recently on 08/02/2016.

Verdict

Apple’s ultra portable laptop is stunning, but the compromises made to achieve its low weight and slender profile won’t suit everyone

Processor: 1.1GHz Intel Core M 5Y70

Graphics processor: Intel HD 5300 integrated

Memory: 8GB

Storage: 256GB SSD

Connectivity: 802.11a/b/g/n/ac, Bluetooth 4.0

Ports: 1x USB 3.1 Gen 1 Type-C, 3.5mm headset jack

Screen size: 12in

Screen resolution: 2304x1440 pixels

Operating system: Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite

Dimensions: 13x280x197mm (HxWxD)

Weight (with charger): 920g (1.1kg)

Warranty: One year

Amazon has banned the sale of substandard USB-C cables on its online stores, after a Google engineer complained about them.

The retailer's updated terms of service prohibit the listing of USB-C cables that are not compliant with official standards.

An entry detailing prohibited items added to Amazon'selectronics pagereads:"Any USB-C (or USB Type-C) cable or adapter product that is not compliant with standard specifications issued by USB Implementers Forum Inc."

This change comes in the wake of an ongoing crusade by a Google engineer to expose poor quality cables in his Amazon customer reviewers.

Benson Leung, a Google engineer, and part of the company's Pixel team, which builds consumer hardware, has reviewed some 170 cables on his Amazon profile. The engineer has gone further than telling customers whether a cable works or not. He has been doing in-depth testing and has told customers which cables are compliant with the official USB-C standards.

In his experience, a shoddy cable can cause data transfer issues or even make a laptop stop working entirely.

Leung wrote on Google+ that he was pleased to see Amazon update its terms, but warned that consumers must remain cautious about their cable purchases.

"Really great news," he wrote. "But we all have to continue to be vigilant and call out any bad products we find on Amazon and other stores (both online and brick and mortar) as we find them."

The design for USB-C also known as USB Type-C or reversible USB connectors cables was finalised in 2014. The reversible port and its connector is capable of acting as a power supply, data transfer cable and display connector all in one.

Among the first devices to make use of USB-C are Google's Chromebook Pixel and Pixel C, and Apple's 12in retina MacBook, all released in 2015.

More devices supporting USB-C are due in 2016, among them rumours of refreshed versions of the MacBook Air and MacBook Pro using the new universal port.

The new super-slim Apple MacBook laptop may have grabbed all the headlines recently, but this latest update of the MacBook Pro may well have more appeal for business users.

Last year's price cut hasn't been repeated, so the entry-level 13in MacBook Pro reviewed here remains at 833 (ex. VAT). The new model also looks virtually identical to its predecessors. But, under the bonnet, the new 13in MacBook Pro has been given a fairly major overhaul with the introduction of a 5th generation Broadwell processor and Apple's new Force Touch touchpad.

Latest news

10/03/2016: PCIe SSD upgrades are now available for the MacBook Pro, courtesy of Other World Computing (OWC).

OWC is offering the drives as part of its Aura range, available with 480GB and 1TB of storage. Both SSDs have a max write speed of 446 MBps and a top read speed of 763 MBps.

They come with just the SSD, or as part of an upgrade kit with all the necessary tools and a USB 3.0 enclosure for data migration, starting at $348 for the 480GB version or $598 for the 1TB model.

The company is one of the few third-party vendors that offer replacement SSDs for MacBooks, due to the proprietary form-factor Apple uses for its drives. These are the first third-party SSDs that have been released since Apple's move to PCIe interfaces in 2013.

Familiar Design

The MacBook Pro hasn't changed dramatically in appearance since the introduction of the high-resolution Retina display back in 2012. It retains the familiar unibody' aluminium chassis that measures just 18mm thick and weighs 1.6Kg. That's heavier than the 920g of the new 12in MacBook, or the 1.35kg of the 13in MacBook Air, but the MacBook Pro is still slim and light enough to carry around in a briefcase without too much trouble.

The 2560x1600 resolution of the 13.3in Retina display also remains unchanged. That may have been surpassed by Windows rivals, such as the eye-popping 4K display of Toshiba's P50T, but the Retina display still provides a detailed, bright image that makes the MacBook Pro an excellent choice for Photoshop and other graphics and design applications.

Connectivity and Upgrades

Apple laptops are often criticised for their limited connectivity options the 12in MacBook Retina only has a single USB-C connector for both power and peripherals. However, the 13in MacBook Pro fares better, with two USB 3.0 ports, two Thunderbolt 2 ports, HDMI and a slot for SD memory cards.

You'll need those connectivity features too, in order to compensate for the MacBook's non-existent upgrade options. A set of 10 pentalobe screws on the base of the laptop makes battery replacements and other repairs unnecessarily difficult. Even worse is the fact that the standard 8GB of memory is soldered onto the motherboard, so your only option for upgrading the memory is to spend an extra 160 at the time of purchase in order to increase that to 16GB.

Feel the Force

The external appearance of the MacBook Pro may not have changed, but this new model does include a number of important new features, including the debut of Apple's Force Touch' touchpad. This looks just like a standard Apple trackpad, but underneath it, there are four sensors that can measure the amount of force you apply when pressing down on the surface of the trackpad.

Instead of using one click on the trackpad to select an item, and two clicks to open a file or an app, the new touchpad also allows you to perform a force-click' that consists of a gentle click, followed by an increase in pressure. The force-click can perform a number of different tasks, such as using Mac OS X's Quick Look option to preview the contents of a file, or looking up the definition of a word that you force-click in a text document. It's not the revolution that Apple's marketing executives claim, but it's a handy, alternative way of speeding up some common tasks.

Pricing Options

The starting price for the 13in MacBook Pro remains at 833 (ex. VAT), but the 2.6GHz Haswell chip used in last year's model has been updated to a new dual-core Broadwell i5-5257U processor running at 2.7GHz (up to 3.1GHz with Turbo Boost). The integrated Iris 5100 graphics steps up to the newer Iris 6100.

That's not a bad price compared to similar high-end Windows laptops, such as Dell's Precision range. However, the MacBook Pro's limited upgradability means that you're forced to pay high prices for Apple's own upgrades when you purchase the machine. As mentioned, upgrading to 16GB of memory costs a hefty 160. Storage upgrades are equally expensive, costing 200 to upgrade the SSD to 256GB, or 400 for 512GB. The latter option offers a minor consolation in the form of a small processor speed bump to 2.9GHz, but the top-of-the-range model with a 3.1GHz processor will add a further 250 to the price, for a grand total of 1441 (ex. VAT).

Broadwell Battery

We've not seen many laptops that use Intel's new Broadwell processors, so we were a little disappointed to see that the new MacBook Pro didn't perform any better than its Haswell-based predecessor. In fact, it only managed an overall score of 78 per cent in our benchmark tests, compared to 81 per cent for last year's model.

However, the Iris 6100 did perform well for 2D graphics work, scoring 95 per cent in our Photoshop tests, and was only let down by its weaker performance in 3D graphics (53 per cent) and video rendering (63 per cent). To be fair, that performance isn't bad for the price, but if you want a more powerful quad-core processor or discrete graphics card for 3D design work then you'll have to step up to the 15in version of the MacBook Pro Retina.

Battery life was exceptionally lengthy as we've come to expect from Apple laptops. It lasted just under 22 hours in our light usage test and an impressive ten hours and 21 minutes when playing a high definition YouTube video. The increase over its Haswell-based predecessor are small, but this lengthy battery life, combined with the laptop's light weight, make this MacBook a good choice for working on the move.

Verdict

The 13in MacBook Pro isn't quite in the mobile workstation class and, try as we might, we don't find the new Force Touch trackpad as innovative as Apple seems to think it is. Even so, it provides solid performance at a competitive mid-range price as long as you don't need to buy too many upgrades and its outstanding battery live ensures that it will really earn its keep when you're on the road.

Verdict

Its performance won’t break any records, but the improved battery life provided by Intel’s new Broadwell processor is genuinely impressive.

Processor: 2.7 GHz Intel Core i5-5257U (3.1GHz Turboboost)

GPU: Intel Iris 6100 (integrated)

Display: 13.3in IPS display, 2560x1600 resolution

Memory: 8GB DDR3L

Storage: 128GB solid-state storage

Optical: N/A

Connectivity: dual-band 802.11ac Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 4.0

Ports: 2 x USB 3.0, 2x Thunderbolt 2.0, 1x HDMI, 1x SD card reader, 1 x headphone

Dimensions: 314 x 219 x 18 mm (WxDxH)

Weight: 1.6kg

It's no secret that Apple is hard at work building a $5 billion HQ in the heart of Cupertino. After drone videographer Duncan Sinfield gave us a bird's-eye view of Apple's gargantuan campus in February, he's back with an update that shows off the site as of 3 March.

Since the beginning of February, a lot has happened at Apple's HQ, with the beginnings of a 100,000 square foot fitness facility and 11,000 parking spaces cropping up.

Sinfield's drone footage shows just how massive the entire project is, with 2.82 million square feet of office space that need to be covered with the largest panes of glass in the world. It also has underground access tunnels to reach the inner courtyard along with the multi-storey car parks and a fitness centre.

There's also a 1,000-seat underground auditorium presumably for Apple's product launches, similar to the one happening on 21 March as well as enough working space for 12,000 employees.

Take a look at the progress of Apple's "spaceship" office in the video below:

You would think that if you were the CEO of a mega-successful company that just announced record-breaking profits and revenues, then the market would repay that good news with a rise in your firm's stock price.

That's not the case for Apple.

Despite pulling in revenues of $75.9 billion and profits of $18.4 billion, the market looked at other figures and promptly Apple saw its share price fall. So why did this happen, and what should Apple do about it?

Device woes

Those figures mentioned above were the highest Apple has ever recorded for one quarter, but what worries the market and financial analysts is the lack of growth in iPhone revenues.

These were $51.65 billion from 74.7 million units shipped, an increase of one solitary per cent on the same quarter last year, when Apple managed to flog 74.4 million handsets with $51.18bn of revenues.

Meanwhile, Macs are down on last year, with revenues of $6.74 billion from 5.3 million units, down from 5.5 million units a year ago.

So too are iPads, with tablet revenues having dropped by over a fifth (21 per cent) to $7 billion. Only 16.1 million units shipped compared with 21.4 million the previous year.

The glimmers of hope for the firm lie in its various stores and that mysterious "Other Products" category. Its iTunes, iCloud and App Stores registered $6.05 billion of revenues for the quarter, up 26 per cent on the previous year's quarter. Meanwhile, "Other Products", which include Apple Watch and Apple TV among others, reported revenues of $4.35 billion, a jump of 62 per cent over the first quarter of 2015.

You could read the results and react to them in a number of ways.

Either you can punish Apple for not selling enough iPhones and iPads or punish them for not selling enough of the other things to make up the shortfall.

It would seem the markets are hitting on Apple for the former, rather than the latter. The Apple Watch has just come on stream for the firm and judging by its inclusion in the Other Products category, this hasn't been the success Apple hoped it would have been. Still we would guess that it has easily sold more smartwatches than the competition combined though just how many, admittedly, is anyone's guess.

iPhone issues

Also, the main focus here is still on the iPhone. While the iPhone 6 was a runaway hit, and the iPhone 6s also got people out to upgrade, the reason the latter beat the former in terms of sales was because of its debut in China.

It was expected that the iPhone 6s party would go on and on in China, and that sales would reflect this. But it now looks like the party may have fizzled out rather early, leaving Apple with a strange hangover.

Now it must wait for the iPhone 7 to come out and wow customers again, especially in China.

But Apple needs to do more than simply perform its rinse and repeat method of bringing out another new iPhone in a year's time.

To keep the figures going the right way for the market, Apple needs to get a few more products selling better. The iPhone can't keep delivering record-breaking sales and shipments, sooner or later (sooner, I think) we will reach 'peak iPhone'. Then what?

It's time to diversify

Apple needs to get on with developing those other products. The Apple Watch was a good start but it wasn't quite what people were expecting, and somehow it fell short of those expectations. The next Apple Watch needs to address the perceived flaws of its predecessor. These would be better battery life, a simpler interface and a hardware redesign, for a start.

It also needs to show what its killer use case really is; a sidekick to the iPhone? Or a device that takes its place for most of your day? A glorified fitness tracker? At the moment it is hard to say.

Sadly, a killer app for the smartwatch seems as far away as ever. There doesn't seem to be anything on the horizon apps-wise that would make customers turn out in their droves to buy the device. And people buying it are seemingly leaving them in the drawer to gather dust.

The company also needs to take its Apple TV device more seriously than its "hobby" tag would suggest. Google's Chromecast and Amazon's Fire TV Stick show a lot of promise, with both of these flying off the shelves. This is an area Apple could dominate if it wanted to, but it just doesn't seem to have the heart to try. A more rounded proposition here could knock the competition out of the park. Apple is taking steps to rectify this with more apps and games but it seems there is a long way to go here.

Finally, we need to know whether or not Apple will actually produce its long-rumoured car. Tesla's Elon Musk called it an "open secret" that something was in development (possibly he was annoyed at his engineers being poached by Cupertino), but the rumour-to-fact ratio here is high and needs to decrease in order for the market to know if this will ever see the light of day and, more importantly, whether it will make money for the company.

Diversification is a must if iPhone shipments continue to fall alongside those of the iPad and Mac. Whether Apple can get these products out to market quickly enough remains to be seen.

It's been five years since Microsoft last launched a new version of Office for OS X, which makes it long overdue an update not least since a tablet version of the productivity suite has debuted in the meantime. As it turns out, Microsoft is updating both Mac and Windows versions of Office at more or less the same time for the first time in, well, ever with Office 2016 for Mac and Office 2016 for Windows released within weeks of each other.

Interface changes

Mac users have arguably had an easier time with Office than their Windows brethren over recent years, though that's largely due to the lack of updates. Microsoft's Ribbon UI made its first appearance on OS X with Office 2011, but its implementation was very diluted. Windows users, on the other hand, have been subject to countless cosmetic tweaks that last resulted in a ruthlessly flattened and desaturated interface.

Thankfully, Office 2016 for Mac continues this trend and not a great deal has changed, interface-wise, beyond a general streamlining and polish. The UI is flatter and Retina-ready, and the layout much more logical than that of Office 2011 (Mac) and 2013 (Windows).

Word 2011 for Mac (top), Word 2013 for Windows (middle), Word 2016 for Mac (bottom)

It also adheres to operating system conventions more closely than Office 2013, with a menu bar and a largely standard File Save/Open dialog box, rather than the window-swamping Backstage' that Windows users are saddled with.

Just bear one thing in mind before you rush to upgrade. Office 2016 for Mac needs OS X 10.10 Yosemite and while Apple's latest operating system might be a free download, it only runs on Macs of a certain age.

Not-quite-complete cloud storage support

Office 2016 for Mac consists of Word, Excel, PowerPoint, OneNote and Outlook Access and Publisher are only available in the Windows version of the suite. As with Office 2013 for Windows, support for Microsoft's own cloud storage services (Office 365, OneDrive, OneDrive for Business and SharePoint) is built in just click the Online Locations' button in the Open/Save dialog box to switch between storage types.

Noticeably absent, however, is integrated Dropbox support, despite its inclusion in Office for iOS. Office documents stored in Dropbox can still be opened in Office Online via its web interface, but that's really a workaround rather than a solution.

Shared editing made simpler

Even so, one thing that Office 2016's cloud support greatly simplifies is collaboration, whether co-authoring documents or merely giving feedback.

Once a document is saved to the cloud, additional users (using Office 2013 or later) can then be invited to view or edit it. Multiple simultaneous edits can then be made in real time, but they don't appear on a local document immediately. Instead, they're only rolled out to everyone else when the editor document is saved, at which point they see a clickable notification to see them.

The problem is that remote edits aren't tagged by the user who made them they're merely highlighted. Highlights from one round of edits also disappear as soon as the next round rolls out, which makes it difficult to keep track of what's going on when three or more people are typing.

This makes Office 2016's collaborative editing confusing at times, so it's really only useful for certain situations, such as creating a document from scratch when a handful of people need to combine their ideas quickly (and without endless Cc'ed emails). Fortunately, it's also a problem that's largely solved simply by enabling Office's Tracking feature to show who's changed what and when.

Cloud storage makes collaborative editing much simpler, but there are still plenty of kinks to work out.

Sharing edits with edit tracking

Edit tracking really comes into its own when there's only one centrally stored document being worked on, and it's vastly preferable to emailing multiple copies back and forth and trying to combine changes from several people. Better still, Office 2016 now supports the same nested comments as Office 2013 for Windows in Word and PowerPoint, and clear in-document conversations also take much of the pain from collaborative editing.

Unfortunately, all of the above only applies to Word documents. In PowerPoint, changes made by other users aren't highlighted, they merely appear, and there's no equivalent to Word's Tracking feature to help make sense of them. Excel is even worse. Share a sheet with another user and they see a "This file is locked for editing by [another user]" message when it's opened via the cloud, even when the sheet is appropriately configured via the usual Share Workbook option.

Admittedly, simultaneous shared editing via the cloud is perhaps most useful in Word, but there are many circumstances where other types of document would benefit from the feature. As it stands, Google Docs does a much better job of cloud collaboration and it's disappointing for Office 2016 to lag behind.

Outlook 2016

Email is still the main stalwart of 21st Century office communication, of course, and managing it is a task that still falls to Outlook in Office 2016. Users with an Exchange account should be up and running within moments, but while the necessary settings for an Outlook.com or IMAP account are automatically configured, two-step verification isn't natively supported not even for Microsoft's own Hotmail and Outlook.com services. So it's the rigmarole of creating per-app passwords all round if you're security minded.

Outlook 2016 is little changed from before, but the inbox now has one-line message body previews.

Otherwise, not a lot has changed in Outlook 2016 compared to the previous version and upgraded users shouldn't miss a beat. One minor but nonetheless welcome change is a first-line preview of message bodies in the inbox, but there's no delayed delivery of messages and it's a shame Microsoft didn't introduce the Ignore' feature from Outlook 2013 for muting email threads you have no interest in. There isn't even the option to use the OS X Contacts list for the Outlook address book, although that probably isn't an issue for most Exchange users.

Word 2016

Many of the changes in Word are under the hood; the most surreptitious being support for common Windows keyboard shortcuts Ctrl + C to copy selected text, for example (these also work in Excel). The usual OS X shortcuts still work, but this clever move makes the Mac suite less finicky for someone switching platforms. Speaking of which, pinch-to-zoom now works in Word, Excel and PowerPoint, too, which helps smooth the transition between the Mac and iOS suites.

Another improvement of note is that the floating Toolbox palette is now a docked sidebar that's much easier to use, with Styles, Reference tools and other options appearing as required. Unfortunately, the Scrapbook and Citations manager didn't make the cut for this redesign, so you'll need another option if you relied on those two features.

Office 2016's cleaner interface is a joy to use, with no irritating floating palettes in sight.

The DTP-lite Publishing Layout view has gone, too, and Word 2016 still doesn't support OS X's three-finger trackpad tap for an instant pop-up word definition. Word's Smart Lookup' option does at least present a list of readable results, though, rather than the awkward one-at-a-time of Office 2011.

Excel 2016

The impact of Excel's changes will depend on how you use the application. Power users will certainly appreciate the addition of PivotTable slicers for filtering data, Data Analysis ToolPak and Solver add-in support, and a slick integrated equation editor to replace the clunky separate utility of Office 2011. There's still no Mac support for Pivot Charts, however, and the Power Pivot add-in is reserved for Windows users.

Excel 2016 placates power users, too, with new pivot table and add-in support, plus a new built-in equation editor.

For everyone else, perhaps the most noticeable change is a new animation when selecting and working with cells. A couple of new hand-holding options should make Excel's more sophisticated features more accessible. In addition to a host of new types, the Recommended Charts button only presents charts that are appropriate for the selected data. You still need to know what you're doing, but the option might help avoid mocking from chart boffins in meetings.

The Formula tab has also been cleaned up and made much more accessible to neophytes, with the helpful Formula Builder now appearing by default in a sidebar as soon as a formula button is clicked.

Excel 2016 has lots of new features to help novice users, including a formula builder sidebar that appears automatically.

PowerPoint 2016

PowerPoint perhaps gets the biggest benefit from the cleaned-up and rejigged interface, and the Ribbon now make much more sense to unseasoned users. The bulk of creative options now reside on the Design and Transitions tabs, for example, rather than the Themes, Tables, Charts and SmartArt tabs of old.

The new Animations sidebar is also a welcome addition for those that don't know PowerPoint inside out. It appears once an animation has been applied to an object on a slide, and aggregates the options previously found on the Animations tab (which is still present) and the easily overlooked Custom Animation floating Toolbox.

The streamlined interface makes PowerPoint much more user friendly, with slide animations in particular now much easier to deploy.

Presenter View has been spruced up, too, and the addition of a Switch displays' button alone might tempt some PowerPoint users to upgrade particularly those who've inadvertently displayed their web browser session to an auditorium full of people while scrabbling for the less-obvious option in PowerPoint 2011. Don't go looking for the Save as Movie' option, though it's gone.

Visual Basic for Applications

Finally and definitely only of interest to those aforementioned power users a few words on macros and Visual Basic for Applications (VBA). In short, there are changes and the good news is that the VBA Editor has been rewritten. The bad news is that even in Office 2016's release' state, the Editor remains largely unchanged from the early previews and is functionally inferior than that in Office 2011.

So for the time being, at least, the VBA Editor is intended solely for debugging existing macros for compatibility issues, of which there will be many as a result of the sandbox security measures imposed by OS X. Even so, the spartan interface, with no way to insert new modules or UserForms, will stymie many. So the prevailing advice for developers is to stick with Windows and debug on a Mac as required until the monthly update cycle (if you're bought the Office 365 subscription version as opposed to the standalone perpetual licence) hopefully addresses the situation.

Visual Basic for Applications gets short shrift in Office 2016 and the revamped Editor is really only useful for debugging existing macros not creating new ones.

Verdict

There’s a lot to like about Office 2016 for Mac and certainly an improvement on the 2011 suite — even with the many omissions and shortcomings, both standalone and compared to the Windows suite. So Mac Office 365 subscribers have little reason to delay a download, and the interface parity of the Mac and Windows versions should make both 2016 suites appealing to business users, too.

Operating system: Mac OS X 10.10 Yosemite RAM: 4GB Hard drive space: 6GB Display: 1280 x 800

Apple has introduced three new standalone accessories to accompany the launch of itsnew iMac desktop familyMagic Mouse 2, Magic Trackpad 2 and, for the first time, a Magic Keyboard.

Most notable among the devices, which Apple says is designed to help users get the most from itslatest OS X release, El Captain, is the Magic Trackpad 2 which, for the first time, bringsForce Touch support to Apple's desktop computers.

Force Touch, which allows users to perform different tasks based on pressure variations, was first introduced earlier this year on Apple's 12in MacBookand allows users perform different tasks based on pressure variations, meaning that just one touch can lead to multiple actions.

The displays of theiPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plusfeature similar 3D Touch technology, but the Magic Trackpad 2 which is 29 per cent larger than its predecessor has brought Force Touch support to Apple's desktop iMac range.

While the Magic Trackpad 2 may take up a third more of your desk, the new Magic Keyboard is, according to Apple, 13 per cent smaller than its predecessor. While there is no Force Touch technology, the peripheral also takes a cue from the 12in MacBook, featuring the same "scissor mechanism" for key stability, which also gives the keys an ultra-low profile.

The Magic Mouse 2, meanwhile, is meant to be lighter, sturdier, and optimised for less resistance than the original Magic Mouse.

The accessories announced today all have built-in rechargeable lithium-ion batteries rather than the AA batteries of previous accessories. They are promised to have a month of battery life when fully charged, which should take about two hours, and about nine hours of power after being plugged in for two minutes.

Available for purchase today, the Magic Trackpad 2 will set you back 109, while the Magic Mouse 2 is set at 65 and the Magic Keyboard is priced at 79, all inclusive of VAT.

Apple has updated its iMac range with new Retina displays, better processors and a set of new Magic peripherals just one month after rolling out the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus.

The 21.5in iMac now has a 4K Retina display, bringing a resolution of 4096 x 2304 and 9.4 million pixels to the smaller of the two desktop computers - 4.5 times the pixel density of its predecessor.

Apple first wheeled out a 27in 5K Retina display iMac last yearas a new, high-end desktop, but also left the non-Retina version on sale.Now, however, all 27in desktops are being upgraded not just to 5K Retina, but a better version of the technology.

As with last year's 5K iMac, it offers 5120 x 2880 maximum resolution and is packed with 14.7 million pixels - as Apple has pointed out, that's seven times the number of pixels offered by an HD display. However, it now supports a wider DCI-P3 colour gamet, which offers a wider range of reds and greens than was available on last year's 5K iMac.

The new 2015 iMacs have also had a refresh on the inside. The 27in version now sports an Intel Skylake processor and dedicated, high-end AMD Radeon GPU. Additionally, the bigger iMac also has a faster PCI Express SSD and Fusion Drive configuration.

The 21.5in 4K version has slightly less impressive specs - it is still running on a fifth-generation Intel Core processor, but has upgraded Intel Iris Pro Graphics (as you would expect with an upgrade to 4K).

Both the 21.5in iMac and 27in iMac also come with OS X 10.11 El Capitan, the latest version of Apple's operating system, pre-installed.

In terms of pricing, the entry-level 27in iMac, costs 1,449, the same starting price as its predecessor and 500 less than the price of last year's 5K iMac.

The 21.5in 4K version costs 1,199, although there are two non-4K versions available for 899 and 1,049.

All prices include VAT and all versions are on sale now.

Macbook owners are up in arms over an apparent screen defect.

The problem, known as "staingate", seems to mainly affect MacBook Pros, which often are worth in excess of 1000.

Users say their notebooks' retina displays are being marred by "horrific stains", that appear with no obvious cause. These blemishes can manifest as streaks, spots or patches, both around the edges and in the center of the screen itself.

The issue has raised the ire of Apple customers, principally due to the cost of the devices. As the group's website states: "We already paid a lot of our hard earned money to have a defective laptop".

To make matters worse, the problem is classified by Apple as cosmetic damage, and therefore not covered by warranty. The group claims that repair costs can reach "around 800 USD/EUR with a three-month warranty".

The problem appears to be recurring, however, and users have reported stains returning in a matter of months after being repaired.

The Staingate website claims that it maintains a database of 3005 affected people, and the problem is drawing increasing attention. Whitfield Bryson & Mason, a US law firm, has contacted the group to investigate, presumably with regards to bringing a legal case against Apple.

The group isn't aiming for monetary restitution, however. According to their website, they simply want Apple to fix their MacBooks, demanding "a free repair program for all the Macbooks that are having this problem, without taking into consideration if it is under warranty or Apple Care".

Over the years I have been on the receiving end of many an email-bashing for suggesting that Apple needs to take security more seriously. So it may come as something of a surprise to discover I disagree with the conclusion of newly released research which appears to suggest that Mac users have inadequate protection against attack, and that this is particularly concerning given the number of high severity security vulnerabilities for Mac OS X.

The research from San Francisco based managed infrastructure and security specialists Opswat(www.opswat.com), which has a high SMB/enterprise market share for peer-to-peer file multiple antivirus engine scanning and document sanitisation (deployed to more than a 100 million endpoints), included data from Macs for the first time. This enabled the company to make a direct comparison between Windows and Mac devices, and that's where it gets interesting and, in my opinion, goes a bit astray.

OK, let's get the nitty gritty out of the way first. The market share report included data for peer-to-peer file sharing products, the use of file sharing, antivirus software and RTP (Real Time Protection) between both Windows and Mac users. Because it included Mac device data, it drew comparisons between the security practices of the two.

While 75.5 per cent of Windows users had at least one antivirus product installed, only 50 per cent of Mac users did. The conclusion drawn being that many Mac devices are left without adequate protection given "the number of high severity security vulnerabilities for Mac OS X." Windows users also outperformed Mac users with their use of RTP, 61 per cent of Windows AV with RTP enabled against 35 per cent of Mac AV, an important part of protecting a device from malware and other Potentially Unwanted Applications (PUAs). There wasn't much difference between Windows (31.1 per cent) and Mac (25.7 per cent) when it came to installed P2P file-sharing installations being found.

Adam Winn, senior manager for Opswat, said "the prevalence of P2P file sharing software in combination with the relatively low utilisation of real time protection is not a good indicator of the overall security status of Windows and Mac computers in BYOD and small business environments. Peer-to-peer file sharing software by itself is generally harmless and can be used very effectively for rapidly and legally downloading files. Unfortunately the P2P installers are usually bundled with adware, and sometimes even malware."

Which I have no beef with, at all, as it does not make a big hoo-ha over the difference in machines. However, I do have a beef (even as a vegan) with the idea that Mac users are insecure because there are vulnerabilities out there and they don't use antivirus.

We are told, time and time again (and I may well be guilty for having repeated this in the past) that the only reason Mac users are not falling victim at the same rate as Windows ones is that the cyber criminals only focus on the Windows market as it's so much bigger and therefore so much more profitable.

Which is good as far as it goes, which isn't very far. Data is data, and Apple users are a pretty wealthy and desirable demographic don't you think? If it were really that easy to exploit a known 'high severity' vulnerability which could give the attacker the keys to the kingdom that, well, someone would be doing it and doing it wholesale by now? And there's the thing, if they were then the media column inches would be full of it, and they are not.

I spoke to Troy Gill, manager of security research at AppRiver, who told me he was not surprised to find that Mac users have a much less proactive approach when it comes to installing AV and using real time file protection.

"One thing I think the data did an excellent job of illustrating is that is seems that if the blackhats were to suddenly (and collectively) shift their efforts to targeting Mac instead of Windows," he said, "then Mac users would likely not fare much better than Windows users have."

But they won't, I'm willing to bet, and not just because it's a numbers game but because the exploits are not out there. Just because there's a vulnerability does not mean there is an exploit. Just because that vulnerability is similar to a Windows one does not mean that writing an exploit is as simple. Just because, just because, just because!

We should really be concerned about the number of successful exploits per platform rather than the number of unexploited vulnerabilities. Now, can someone take that Apple Fatwa off my head?

Apple beat analyst forecasts on revenues and profit in its second quarter as the firm sold more iPhones in China that the US for the first time in its history.

Apple iPhone revenues in China increased by 71 per cent to $16.8 billion for the quarter, helped by people buying presents for the Chinese New Year. According to Apple chief executive Tim Cook, a burgeoning middle class in the country fuelled iPhone purchases, making up the bulk of its sales.

Around 61 million smartphones were sold in the quarter, an increase of 40 per cent on the same time last year but down from Q1.

Overall, the firm reported revenues of $58 billion and a net profit of $13.6 billion - an increase of 27 per cent and 33 per cent compared to the same period last year.

Cook said its best ever March results were due to the "continued strength" of the iPhone, Mac and App Store. The latter was said by Apple to have an "all-time record performance".

"We're seeing a higher rate of people switching to iPhone than we've experienced in previous cycles, and we're off to an exciting start to the June quarter with the launch of Apple Watch," Cook said in a statement.

However, sales of the Apple iPad were pegged at 12.6 million, a decrease of 23 per cent from a year ago - around $5.43 billion in sales. The larger screen of the iPhone 6 Plus was blamed for declining sales of the iPad.

Apple sold 4.6 million Macs in the last quarter, up from 4 million in the second quarter of 2014 but down from 5.5 million in the first quarter.

The firm did not break out Apple Watch sales but Cook said he was "thrilled" by the launch and said in a conference call with financial analysts that the response had been "overwhelming positive" and that "demand is greater than supply".

"We're working hard to remedy that. We've made progress over the last week or so, and we were able to deliver more customers an Apple Watch over the weekend than we had initially anticipated," said Cook.

Cook said that Apple would make the watch available in more countries by late June, but demand was difficult to gauge as Apple was taking orders online only and not selling through its stores.

Update - OS X 10.10.3 is now available to the general public. The rumoured photo app has duly arrived, supplanting iPhoto and Aperture, both of which have been retired. Also announced was increased 4K support; the new range of MacBooks will all support 4K monitors with 'Single Stream Transport' running at 60Hz, as well as the iMac, Mac Mini and Mac Pro.

One of the most hotly-anticipated features of the update, however, were emojis. The picture-messaging icons were given a major expansion, with over 300 new characters added. This includes different skin-tone and family size variations in an effort to make the system more inclusive. Also present were updates to the 'technology' category, which now includes updated iOS devices and an Apple Watch emoji.

All the most interesting bits of Apple's latest desktop OS are to do with increasing co-operation between iPhone, iPad and iMac. However, in order to get the most out of one, you kind of need to be familiar with the other. Maximise your Apple efficiency by brushing up on all the new features of iOS 8, with our list of the best iPhone 6 and 6 Plus tips.

OS X Yosemite 10.10 has been available since October 2014. If you're buying a Mac now, the operating system will come preloaded on your device, but those with older models can also upgrade if they already haven't done so.

There were teething problems with the initial release though, much to the annoyance of users and Apple rolled out an update to fix Wi-Fi issues, in particular. However, a quick trawl of the Apple support forum shows some users are still plagued by Wi-Fi problems and remain far from happy.

OS X Yosemite v10.10.2 update was made available at the end of January, while 10.10.3 was released as a beta - featuring a new photo app, according to Apple Insider - in early February 2015.

We run down our favourite features so far:

Top 10 features

1) Make and receive calls on your Mac

One of the cooler features of Yosemite is the ability to use any iDevice to make and accept calls. As long as your iPhone is on the same network, any incoming calls will automatically flash up on the user's iPad and Mac as well.

What you need to run Yosemite

- A device running OSX Snow Leopard (v10.6.8) or above- At least 2GB of RAM- 8GB of storage

Airdrop, Handoff and Instant Hotspot require amobile device running iOS 8, such as:

- MacBookAir (2012 orabove)- MacBookPro (2012 orabove)- iMac (2012 orabove)- Macmini (2012 orabove) - MacPro (Late 2013)- iPhone 4s and above- iPad Air and Air 2- iPad 2 and above- iPad Mini

- Open FaceTime > Preferences > Tick the box with "iPhone Cellular Calls"

- Make sure your iPhone and Mac are connected to the same Wi-Fi network.

Incoming calls will pop up as a notification in the top right hand corner and the Mac will also use the same ringtone as your phone.

Outgoing calls can be initiated from the Contacts, Calendar, Messages, Spotlight or FaceTime apps.

2) Interact with Messages

OS X Yosemite allows you to send and receive SMS messages from your Mac and iPad. When you open up the Messages app, you'll be prompted to "Turn on" the feature.

Other features include the ability to share your screen - useful for collaborate purposes. Messages automatically initiates an audio chat when you start a screen sharing session, allowing you to talk about what's on screen.

Locations can now be shared via Messages and there are control to mute notifications from group chats.

3) Continue working where you left off with Handoff

When users start any work within apps like Pages, Safari or Keynote it's possible to switch between any Apple device and pick up directly where work was left off. This is known as Handoff.

To activate this go to Settings > General > Handoff & Suggested Apps and make sure it's activated.

Despite installing iOS 8.1, we had a bit of trouble getting Handoff to work between an iPhone 6 Plus and a late-2013 MacBook Pro.

When starting apps on the Mac we were able to continue using them on the iPhone, but not everything worked the other way around. It appears we're not the only ones experiencing issues, suggesting there are some kinks which need ironing out with the software.

4) Activate disk-level encryption

During the installation process, Yosemite tells you it's going to encrypt data on your hard drive and gives you the option to opt out. Allowing Yosemite to carry out disk-level encryption via FileVault is encouraged as it will make it almost impossible for any thieves to access data on the machine.

Activating FileVault also means law enforcement agencies won't be able to pull off data from a hard drive without the user password. This appears to backup Tim Cook's claims of protecting user privacy and the FBI has expressed displeasure that Apple is encouraging this.

"Encryption is nothing new. But the challenge to law enforcement and national security officials is markedly worse, with recent default encryption settings and encrypted devices and networks all designed to increase security and privacy," claimed James B. Comey, Director of the FBI.

"With Apple's new operating system, the information stored on many iPhones and other Apple devices will be encrypted by default."

Comey argued that by offering disk-level encryption, the "bad guys" will choose to store details locally instead of the cloud and this will leave a "blackhole" in law enforcement. A win for privacy advocates could also prove to be positive news for criminals.

5) Spotlight

The process of searching your Mac has been overhauled for Yosemite. Clicking on the magnifying glass in the top right corner will trigger a large search bar to pop up in the middle of the screen. You can also access this quickly by pressing Cmd + Spacebar' at anytime.

When you type in a phrase, Spotlight will carry out a universal search and bring up an in-line preview, saving you the need to open multiple apps when you're searching for something specific.

Not only does this search the Mac, but Spotlight also searches your email and internet sources like CNN, Bing and Wikipedia. You can set the order in which you want results from different sources to display, depending on your preference. Apple said it has specifically chosen Bing because Microsoft has agreed not to track any of the queries made.

6) iCloud Drive

Apple has finally extended the capabilities of iCloud to allow users to save any documents into the iCloud folder on the Mac and then open compatible files on any other Apple device. There's 5GB of free allowance, with more storage available to purchase for a monthly fee.

We would have preferred it if Apple had created a specific iCloud Drive app for iOS devices, but this isn't the case at present. So you're restricted to opening files in compatible apps like Keynote, Pages and Numbers. The list of apps will no doubt increase as developers build in support into their third-party apps.

7) Notifications bar

This has been beefed up to incorporate the Today View - so you can see your calendar appointments, check the weather or even post status updates to social media accounts like Facebook and Twitter.

Apple has opened up the APIs, so users will be able to install third-party widgets. The most high-profile so far is the Tumblr widget.

8) Improved Safari

Safari has a noticeably streamlined look. The search bar now provides smart suggestions based on what you type in and the toolbar can be customised to include as many or as few options as you want.

There's a new bird's eye view allowing you to get a preview of all your open webpages. Everytime you open a fresh tab you're greeted with a list of the most recently visited websites and also your favourites.

One of the biggest benefits of using Safari is the optimisations relating to HTML5, which is most noticeable while using Netflix. Safari now supportsPremium Video ExtensionsandMedia Source Extensions(MSE) natively. This means you can watch full 1080p video and get an extra three hours of viewing time compared to FireFox and Chrome, which require plug-ins.

9) Airdrop to iOS

Users with iOS 8 and Yosemite can also share files between Macs and iOS devices.To do this, turn on the AirDrop feature on both devices and then drag and drop the file you want to share.

10) Annotate attachments & MailDrop 5GB files

Apple's default Mail app has added a couple of useful features.

Firstly, you can now annotate attachments within emails - highlighting key areas, for example. It's now possible to add signatures via your trackpad as well as by holding up a picture to the front-facing camera.

Usefully, you can also send files up to 5GB in size via email. This is done via the MailDrop. Simply drag the file of your choosing into the email like a regular attachment. If it's too big to be included as an attachment, the app will give you the option to send it via MailDrop.

This sends a link to the recipient allowing them to download the file to their computer. The download is available for 30 days from the date it is sent.

This article was originally published on 21/10/14 and has been updated on the 14/04/15 with more information.

The love-hate relationship between Apple and Microsoft is clearly back in love' mode at the moment. Following last month's launch of the iOS version of Outlook, Microsoft has now released a public preview of the next version of Office for Mac. It's been five years since Office 2011 was released for the Mac, back in 2010, so this new version is certainly long overdue.

However, Office 2011 received mixed reviews from some Mac users, who saw the introduction of the Ribbon' toolbar as an unwelcome intruder from the Windows world. The Ribbon isn't going away, but the streamlined makeover that it receives in this new version of Office for Mac should ensure that it gets a much better reception from Mac users.

Ribbon Redux

The adoption of the Ribbon in Office 2011 marked a conscious decision by Microsoft to bring the Mac version of Office more in line with its Windows counterpart. However, the sheer number of tools crammed into the Ribbon meant that the Mac versions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint became much more cluttered and not to put too fine a point on it less Mac-like.

That criticism has clearly been taken to heart by Microsoft, as the single over-riding theme of the new Office for Mac is the move towards a more streamlined Ribbon. There are a few minor cosmetic changes that help here nudging one small set of buttons into a slightly different position eliminates a chunk of wasted space at the top of each document window, and removing the text headings that previously labelled different sections of the Ribbon helps to make the Ribbon look a little less cluttered. But, more importantly, there have also been some major changes to the way that the Ribbon itself is organised.

Word 2016

Word is the major beneficiary here, as a large number of tools and features have simply been removed from the Ribbon altogether. The Styles panel that previously occupied almost one quarter of the entire width of the Ribbon has now been reduced to a single button that activates a pull-down menu. Several tools for working with graphics files and clip-art have also been removed and relocated within the new Insert tab. This tab also incorporates additional tools for creating tables and charts, headers and footers, and even mathematical equations, resulting in a drastically streamlined Ribbon that takes up far less space on your screen.

Some of that space has been used to create a new Design tab that allows you to quickly format text within your documents, and a new Mailings tab to help with mail-merge work. Stepping away from the Ribbon, the document sidebar also gains a handy new Navigation view that lists headings and other important elements within a document so that you can quickly leap to the point you need.

Excel and PowerPoint

Excel and PowerPoint haven't received quite such drastic makeovers. These two apps are more likely to be used in full-screen mode, so Microsoft has left many of the standard Ribbon tools in place. However, the tabs that provide access to additional sets of tools have been completely reorganized. Like Word, PowerPoint and Excel both gain a new Insert tab, which gathers together all the graphics tools that were previously spread across three separate tabs for Tables, Charts and SmartArt.

They also gain a new View tab that provides a number of options for viewing your documents, such as the Notes view in PowerPoint or the split-pane view in Excel. The only minor oddity here is that the Play button for PowerPoint presentations has been removed from the main Home tab on the Ribbon, so when you want to preview your slides you'll need to either switch into the Slideshow tab or remember the fiddly three-finger keyboard shortcut that triggers the Play command.

Excel gains a number of new features for working with data, including PivotTable Slicers and an Analysis ToolPak for complex statistical work. However, PowerPoint mostly concentrates on refining existing features, such as the note-taking tools in its Presenter mode, and improved compatibility with the Windows version of PowerPoint.

OneDrive and the Cloud

Microsoft's Office blog says that the new Office for Mac is powered by the cloud' but, in fact, the 2011 editions of Word, Excel and PowerPoint already had a Share command in the main File menu that allowed you to save documents to OneDrive and SharePoint. The new Office for Mac merely relocates those options to the Save dialog within each app. A simple button allows you to switch between saving to online locations' or on my Mac', and you are then prompted to enter the details of your online account.

The Preview version of Office for Mac currently supports OneDrive and OneDrive for Business, and SharePoint. Apple's iCloud Drive is hard-wired into the Save dialog in Yosemite the latest version of the Mac OS so you can save documents to iCloud as well. The downside of this is that the preview version of Office for Mac currently only runs on Yosemite. Microsoft hasn't stated whether the finished version will also require Yosemite which will obviously cause problems for businesses that are still running older versions of the Mac OS nor has it said anything about supporting additional cloud services such as Dropbox.

Outlook 2016

Strictly speaking, the new' version of Outlook isn't actually new, as Microsoft actually released it for Office 365 subscribers last October. However, the new Outlook is included in this preview and will be part of the standalone edition of Office for Mac released later this year (along with the Mac version of OneNote).

The Ribbon has largely been left alone in Outlook, but there are interface changes elsewhere. Unread messages are now highlighted in blue, rather than bold text, and conversation threads show the entire body of emails rather than just a list of headers. These are small changes, but they do make it easier to quickly scan through the long lists of emails that pile up in our inboxes every day.

Is It Worth Upgrading?

Upgrades to Microsoft Office normally arrive trailing a long list of new features for each of its core applications, but the 2016 edition of Office for Mac focuses primarily on its more streamlined interface in order to improve productivity and ease of use. That's not a bad move, though, particularly given the criticisms that were made of the previous version of Office for the Mac. There are few entirely new features that make the new Office for Mac an essential upgrade, but its improved look and feel will be welcomed by Mac users who need to share Office documents with their Windows colleagues.

Verdict

There’s nothing that makes this a ‘must-have’ update, but the interface overhaul that has been given to the Ribbon makes the new Office for Mac feel less cumbersome and should speed up many routine tasks.

Microsoft has announced its Visual Studio and .NET development tools will be available for Linux and Mac OS as the firm continues to push ahead with its cross-platform strategy.

S. Somasegar, corporate vice president of the developer division at Microsoft said Visual Studio 2013 will be available for free in its new form as Visual Studio Community 2013. The update to Visual Studio version 4 has also been released and is available as a free upgrade for existing users.

"Visual Studio and .NET have been two bedrocks of the Microsoft developer ecosystem for over a decade," he said.

"With over 1.8 billion installations of .NET and over 7 million downloads of Visual Studio 2013 in just the last year, Visual Studio and .NET are enabling millions of developers to build some of today's most important software and services powering businesses, apps and sites."

Microsoft also announced Visual Studio 2015 and .NET 2015 previews for existing developers, bringing the ability for more cloud-based development and 'productivity improvements' such as added support for iOS, Android and Windows, with developers able to use HTML, JavaScript, C# or C++ to produce apps.

"With these releases, we are broadly opening up access to our industry leading platform and tools to every developer building any application in today's mobile-first, cloud-first world," Somasegar continued.

"No matter if you are a startup, a student, a hobbyist, an open source developer or a commercial developer, and no matter the platform you are targeting or the app you are creating, Visual Studio, Visual Studio Online, .NET and Azure will help you be successful."

A new variety of malware is targeting users with Macs, iPhones and iPads, according to new research.

Dubbed WireLurker, the malware was discovered by researchers working for Palo Alto Networks, who discovered it targets both OS X and iOS devices.

The malware has been found in 467 OS X applications on the Maiyadi App Store, a third-party Mac application store in China, and the infected applications have been downloaded more than 356,104 times. As a result, they may have impacted hundreds of thousands of users.

WireLurker monitors any iOS device connected via USB with an infected OS X computer and installs downloaded third-party applications or automatically generated malicious applications onto the device, regardless of whether it is jailbroken or not.

"This is the reason we call it WireLurker," said Palo Alto Networks researcher Claud Xiao.

While similar methods to attack non-jailbroken devices have been demonstrated in the past, this malware combines a number of techniques to present a threat to all iOS devices.

The malware exhibits a complex code structure, multiple component versions, file hiding, code obfuscation and customised encryption to thwart anti-reversing, according to Xiao.

He said the malware is capable of stealing information such as Apple IDs and contacts. It also regularly requests updates from the attacker's command and control server. "This malware is under active development and its creator's ultimate goal is not yet clear," said Xiao.

"WireLurker is unlike anything we've ever seen in terms of Apple iOS and OS X malware," said Ryan Olson, intelligence director at Palo Alto Networks' threat intelligence team Unit 42.

"The techniques in use suggest that bad actors are getting more sophisticated when it comes to exploiting some of the world's best-known desktop and mobile platforms."

The security outfit recommends users do not download Mac apps from third-party stores, jailbreak iOS devices or connect iOS devices to untrusted computers and accessories in order to evade the malware threat.

Mac users with Office 365 subscriptions will be able to download the latest version of Outlook for Mac months before the rest of the suite becomes available on OS X.

The latest version brings features over from the PC version that Mac users have had to go without for the last couple of years.

The latest version offers an updated user interface that ties in a little more with the version on Windows. There is also real-time push delivery of email as well as improvements in mail category and colour organisation sync between Mac, Windows, and Outlook Web Access.

The download will only be available to users with an active Office 365 subscription.

"The new Outlook for Mac is available to Office 365 commercial customers and Office 365 Home, Office 365 Personal and Office 365 University subscribers," the Office team said in a blog post.

The firm said the new Outlook could be run alongside the old Office for Mac 2011, but this would require removing the old version of Outlook first. A support page on Microsoft details how this can be done.

Microsoft said it would release the next version of Office for Mac in the first half of 2015. This would be a public beta. The final code would ship in the latter half of the year

While subscribers would not be charged for the update, they would have to continue to pay a subscription for the service. Microsoft did not disclose how much the next version of Office for Mac would be to non-subscribers.

Apple has unleashed the iPad Air 2, iPad mini 3 and a Retina Display iMac on an unsuspecting public, along with updates about the immediate release of OS X 10 Yosemite and iOS 8.1.

Today's launch event comes hot on the heels of the iPhone and iPhone 6 Plus launches in September, and was live streamed from the Apple events page. If you missed it, it should be available on playback soon.

IT Pro has been bringing readers all the latest news in the run up to tonight's event on the live blog, and you can catch up with exactly what went on by scrolling back through our updates.

We covered a lot, including release date, specs and pricing details for the iPad Air 2, iPad Mini 3 and the Retina Display iMac with 5 K display, as well as details about how Apple's share price typically fares in the wake of its previous iPad launches.

Over the page, we run through all the things we expect to see Apple announce at the event tonight...

OS X Yosemite official release date confirmation

Apple's new operating system was first announced during the company's WWDC presentation in June, and several beta versions have since been released to users.

Continuity between iOS 8 and Yosemite is expected to feature heavily, with features such as the ability to make and take phone calls from a PC and to start writing an email on your phone before finishing it on a Mac ("Hand-Off"), teased at Apple's previous event.

This was done using "proximity awareness" that allows a Mac to tell whether another Apple device is nearby, before asking the user whether they would like to switch from their phone/tablet to their Mac or vice versa.

Despite being announced alongside iOS 8 in the summer and being included in Apple's pledge to provide more integration between its devices, it was subsequently revealed the two operating systems' release dates would be staggered.

This kind of release structure is not unprecedented, after iOS 7 and OS X Mavericks also arrived a month apart from each other in 2013.

However, we're hoping to see an update from Apple about when Mac users will finally get their hands on the finished product.

New thinner, more powerful & secure iPads

Recent leaked images from Vietnamese tech blog, Tinhte.nv (via gmanetwork) reportedly give us an early sneak peek at the iPad Air 2.

The most interesting thing about the images is the thinness of the tablet shown, which Mashable has determined as just 7mm thick.

The original iPad Air is 7.5mm thick. Only the iPhone 6 beats it at 6.9mm.

The iPad Air 2 was previously rumoured to be announced alongside the two new iPhone models last month, but will most likely appear this week instead.

The tablet is rumoured to be 9.7-inches, and looks set to feature a 2GB RAM boost and offer users split-screen capability.

The RAM boost makes sense when taking into account how low Apple devices already are, with 1GB RAM, compared to many competing Android devices, and the increased demand brought on by features such as split-screen functionality.

All the signs also suggest Apple's new iPad models will feature the Touch ID fingerprint scanner first introduced with the iPhone 5s. This would offer greater security, which Apple is understandably keen on right now.

The iPads are also rumoured to be getting a daylight-friendly anti-reflective coating for its cover lens, as well as a laminated touch panel, A8 processor, 8-megapixel camera and a gold-coloured casing.

iPad Mini 3

Japanese blog Mac Otakara also claims that we could see the iPad Mini 3 launched on Thursday, according to "sources that can be trusted", and it is likely to be slimmer and with an A8X processor similar to the rumoured specs for the iPad Air 2.

In October 2012, the first iPad Mini was unveiled alongside the iPad 4 and the same month of 2013 saw the iPad Air and iPad Mini with Retina Display announced, so there's a good chance that Apple will continue the pattern in 2014.

Several images allegedly showing the iPad Mini 3 with a Touch ID fingerprint sensor have already been leaked to sites such as NoWhereElse.flr and apple.club.tw.

A Gold, work-friendly iPad Pro

Though rumours of a gold-coloured iPad could relate to the iPad Air 2, one theory that has circulated heavily is that Apple could also be planning to launch a larger, 12.9-in iPad.

This would be dubbed the iPad Pro, it is thought, and would feature an A8X chip for markedly improved graphics and performance.

Though it is still assumed that Apple will use the upcoming event to launch the iPad Pro, news that production of the tablet may have to be delayed due to unprecedented sales of the iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus may affect this. This comes after more than 10 million iPhones were sold in just three days.

The bigger iPad model may be geared more towards business users, with improved specs, 128 GB of storage and split-screen functionality on a bigger screen for easier multi-tasking. The 12-inch display is also a similar size to the MacBook Air, making it ideal for work.

There are also rumours that it could come with a Microsoft Surface-esque keyboard cover, adding to this impression.

Higher-resolution iMac

Alongside new iPads, Apple is expected to launch a 5K resolution 27-inch iMac. This would be an upgrade from the current resolution for desktop Macs of the same size, from 2560 x 1440p to 5120 x 2880, it has been reported.

Whether a new MacBook will be unveiled is up for debate, after delays to Intel's production of processors.

Then there's the Mac mini, which was last updated almost two years ago. Mention of Apple's smallest, cheapest desktop offering popped up on Apple's support page recently, sparking rumours that it could be a part of Apple's next batch of announcements.

Hackers have infected more than 17,000 Macs worldwide, and 1,227 in the UK, with the Mac.BackDoor.iWorm malware via social news site Reddit.

The cyber criminals managed to exploit a flaw in Apple's computer operating system by manipulating Reddit's search and comment functions.

Researchers at Russian antivirus company Dr Web revealed the flaw and said it gives a hacker remote access, allowing them to send commands to other computers to install more malware and, in some cases, launch spam campaigns and denial-of-service attacks.

The company said the hackers developed the malware using C++ and Lua and used encryption to carry out its actions.

When the hacker has managed to access the computer installation it is extracted into /Library/Application Support/JavaW folder and generates a p-list file so that the backdoor is launched automatically.

The company explained the majority of cases occurred in the US. "As of September 26, 2014, 17,658 IP addresses of infected devices were involved in the botnet created by hackers using Mac.BackDoor.iWorm. Most of them4,610 (representing 26.1% of the total)reside in the United States. Canada ranks second with 1,235 addresses (7%), and the United Kingdom ranks third with 1,227 IP addresses of infected computers (6.9% of the total)," Dr Web said.

Independent security researcher Graham Cluley responded to the attack on his blog by saying it's not the first time Macs have been targeted with such a verocious campaign, although it's not as large scale as past attacks on Apple's computers.

"It isn't anything like as big so far as the notorious Flashback worm which hit more than 600,000 Mac computers in early 2012," Cluley said.

He warned: "It is another timely warning that Mac users shouldn't be fooled into thinking they are somehow immune from computer security threats. An anti-virus product should be part of your arsenal, if you value your privacy and the data you store on your Apple computer."

Apple has moved to fix the Bash security flaw that affected many of the company's OS X-running computers.

Also known as Shellshock, the bug could allow hackers to take over a victim's computer. The vulnerability involves the execution of malicilous code within the Bash command shell, which is used in many Linux- and Unix-based operating systems, such as OS X.

Apple said it has now patched the flaw in its OS X Lion, Mountain Lion and Mavericks software. The company also set up a site for users to download the Bash update.

Following news of the vulnerability, Apple quickly moved to deny there was a problem and said the vast majority of users shouldn't be affected by the problem and that it was working to provide a software update for its advanced Unix users.

"Bash, a UNIX command shell and language included in OS X, has a weakness that could allow unauthorised users to remotely gain control of vulnerable systems," Apple said last week.

"With OS X, systems are safe by default and not exposed to remote exploits of bash unless users configure advanced UNIX services."

However, while the patch fixes two vulnerabilities, security researchers have discovered a third. According to Greg Wiseman of IT security firm Rapid7, another flaw.

"Amidst the flurry of activity and interest around Shellshock over the last week, several additional bash vulnerabilities have come to light. The initial fix for CVE-2014-6271 was incomplete, leading to CVE-2014-7169 being found," said Wiseman.

He claims to have found the extra vulnerability with a tool called bashcheck, which tests for vulnerabilities in an installed version of Bash, and that he found it to still be vulnerable to CVE-2014-7186. This could result in a denial of service attack preventing a computer from connecting to other networks, it is feared.

Parallels Desktop 10 has arrived, aiming to reduce drain on system resources whilst adding a raft of options to make it easier to setup and interact with virtual machine (VMs).

The latest generation uses 10 per cent less RAM than it predecessor, now supports 3+ mouse buttons, and touts up to 30 per cent more battery life.

Integration between OS X and the Windows VM has increased to the point where the systems are virtually merged. It's now possible to save directly to iCloud from Office 2013 and share files via Messages and AirDrop, for example.

Do you need Parallels?

Of course, you no longer need a paid-for product to run Windows on a Mac. Apple's Boot Camp enables anyone to install and run Windows from a separate partition on their OS X system and choose which to boot into during start-up. You could also setup Windows VMs using Oracle's free VirtualBox.

So what's the advantage Parallels? The first is ease of use. Setting up Boot Camp takes a little work while installing VMs in VirtualBox is no picnic if you don't know what you're doing. With a simple, Wizard-based approach, Parallels does a great job of taking the pain away.

You can virtualise an existing Windows PC either over the network or using an external hard disk and the Parallels Transport Agent applet. You can also create a new Windows VM just by pointing Parallels at a CD, DVD or ISO image on an external drive or USB memory stick. Just be aware that you'll need to buy Windows separately if you don't own an existing license not attached to a existing and working machine, while you'll also need the relevant media or ISO to install from.

Create a new OS X virtual machine and Parallels can build it from your Mac's recovery disk or from the app store download for the Yosemite beta. You can even create Ubuntu or Chrome OS VMs using the wizard, and Parallels runs off and downloads the files required. It couldn't be much easier.

Whatever guest OS you choose, Parallels will do its best to configure the VM for you, asking you what you want to use a Windows VM for, then fixing CPU and RAM resources plus other preferences for you. Alternatively, you can tweak configurations to your heart's content, allocating CPU cores to the VM, or increasing the RAM allocation. Parallels offers guidance on RAM and warnings if you exceed its estimation but you can set your VM to use more or less, depending on how you plan to use it.

It's not always smooth sailing. While setting up a VM based on Windows 8.1 Enterprise, the installation failed repeatedly on a licensing error, though this was fixed by unticking a checkbox in the setup Wizard.

Tighter OS X integration

Parallels 10 steps up the integration between Windows and OS X. You can run a VM full-screen, so that a Windows 8.1 VM looks and works like a standard Windows 8.1 PC. You do need to install Parallels' Desktop Tools software on the guest OS before you get the right screen resolution and all features working properly. There's an option to do this in the Parallels Desktop menu, so no heavy lifting is involved.

Even in full-screen mode, OS X is available. Mousing to the top of the screen reveals the Apple menu bar, and you can still CMD-Tab between your VM, the OS X desktop and applications, giving you the best of both worlds.

You can also run a VM in its own Window. Perhaps the most interesting option, however, is Parallels' Coherence view. Here each Windows application runs in its own Window, floating on top of the OS X desktop, and with its own icon in the Dock.

The integration goes deeper still. For one thing, you can copy text or objects from an OS X window and paste them directly into a Windows application. It's also possible to set file associations so you a .DOCX Word file opens in a Word for Windows window rather than Pages on OS X, for example.

Parallels also shares specific folders between your OS X system and your Windows VM, and will use the Share functions of OS X to post to Twitter, Facebook and other social networks from within your Windows applications.

Best of all, it can also share cloud storage services between both machines, so that you can install Dropbox on your Mac and then access/add files from the Windows-based folder. And if you use Office 2013 in a Windows VM, then it's perfectly happy working with your SkyDrive account or SharePoint server; as far as Windows is concerned, it's just an ordinary, everyday PC.

Specifications

To get Parallels up and running you're going to need at least an Intel Core 2 Duo processor and 2GB of RAM. At least 4GB of RAM is recommended, and if you'll get the best performance with high-end Core or Xeon processors.

Parallels detects devices connected via USB and offers you the choice of using them under OS X or within the Windows VM. During testing it couldn't find a networked printer using the standard Windows installation method but was capable of using printers already installed in OS X.

Through five days of using Parallels we didn't experience any crashes or major issues while working between OS X and Windows 8.1. It's only once you start messing around with multiple VMs that things come unstuck; asking a Core i5 Mac Mini to handle OS X Mavericks, Windows 8.1, OS X Yosemite and Linux Mint 17, either all at once or two or three at a time, is probably a bit much. It's also worth noting that not all guest operating systems will run full-screen at native resolution or at least they won't without some tinkering with the configuration files.

Other bonuses concern testing, compatibility and security. A web browser running in a virtualised instance of OS X or Windows won't affect your main OS X system should the guest OS get infected by malware or something else go wrong, and you can easily set-up snapshots of your VMs and restore them if you have any issues.

Pitfalls?

If using Parallels has any downside, it's performance. Inevitably, a Windows 8.1 VM won't match the performance of your Mac or MacBook running Windows via Boot Camp, and the same goes for a OS X 10.9 VM and your native OS X 10.9 desktop (though the difference will be smaller).

Being a beta, Yosemite isn't quite ready to be virtualised. Parallel's virtualised graphics drivers have yet to support the new OS, and as a result it feels stutter-prone and unstable. What's more, there's no support for Direct X 11, while OpenGL drive support is stuck at version 2.1, not the modern OpenGL 3.2.

That's an issue for 3D graphics applications and games, but for most business users productivity applications will be the norm, in which case a Parallels VM running on a reasonable configuration two i5 cores and 4GB of RAM on a 2012 Core i5 Mac Mini feels pretty snappy.

We had no issues running Office 2013, DxO Optics Pro 9 and a range of lightweight applications, nor felt that Windows 8.1 rans any slower than usual. In fact, Windows 8.1 worked well as it's comfortable running on a dual-core Atom with 2GB of RAM, so won't give even a modest MacBook Air or Mac Mini any problems.

Typical use cases

Virtualisation products like Parallels Desktop 10 are invaluable to business environments where employees use Macs but need access to old or bespoke applications running on Windows 7 or Windows 8.1 operating system.

Maybe you need to test a product or website on a range of operating systems, including OS X and Windows, but would rather not have to use multiple PCs. Perhaps you need to test different IT setups, so that you can trial, Windows 9 or OS X 10.10 Yosemite before they launch. You might even have old Windows XP applications that you need to access occasionally isn't it better to do it in a sandboxed, virtualised environment than on an old, insecure PC?

Parallels makes easy work of all these scenarios, and running virtualised environments on a Mac gives you more flexibility than running them on a PC. After all, you can run virtualised instances of Windows, Linux or whatever you need on a Mac, but thanks to Apple's control over the OS X platform, you can't say the same with OS X on a Linux or Windows PC.

Overall

Parallels doesn't stand alone in this market Vmware Fusion 7 has only just been released, offering a similar feature set and better Yosemite support.

Still the 10th generation software is an easy package to recommend for business use. If you just need occasional use of Windows packages, then it's worth putting up with the inconvenience of Boot Camp. But if you want to integrate Windows applications and OS X apps on one desktop, then Parallels is an excellent way to do this.

Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo, Core i3, Core i5, Core i7 or Xeon

RAM: 2GB (4GB recommended)

Hard Disk: 850MB plus 16GB per VM

Operating System: OS X 10.7.6 or later

OS X Yosemite Developer Preview 6 is now available for developers to download from the Mac App Store, though the normally concurrent beta version for iOS 8 is notably absent.

The release includes various tweaks to the operating system, including a slightly altered System Preferences screen and taskbar battery icon.

There's now also a Do Not Disturb option situated in the Notification centre, as well as some fresh wallpapers.

A sixth beta release for Apple's iOS 8 was also expected to arrive along with the one for OS X, but it was missing from Monday's updates.

Back in July, it was announced that Apple was planning to release the two operating systems at separate times, despite the focus on integration and continuity' between the two.

This will reportedly result in iOS 8 landing in September, with Yosemite following in October.

The main features of the new OS include a revamped design, improved search functionality, the ability to make and receive calls from your Mac and much, much more. Details were unveiled at the WWDC 2014 conference in June.

OS X Yosemite beta 5 was released on 11 August.